Topic: Travel Sick Dog

[feet of clay]

Hello.  Any help would be welcome.  My dog is travel-sick within 3 miles.  He came to me as a 10month(ish) rescue - with barbed wire embedded in his neck and urine burns all over his body.  He's now a lovely, happy, very pleasant dog who loves to play. The only problem is the puking.  I've tried gently increasing the journey distance but he can still upchuck less than a mile from home!

[Margaret]

Hi there.Good on you for taking him on.How people can treat animals like that is beyond me.Would love to do the same to them.

Anyway...........We have the same problem with our dog,who is now 11 and over the years we have gradually been able to increase the distance.Best time to take her,we found was in the mornings before she had anything to eat.After her dinner was and still is,a no go.In the early days we were set on taking her on holiday so we asked at the vets.He prescribed some strong tranquillisers which did the trick.Trouble was we then had a drugged up and dopey dog for two days.So eventually we decided not to take her away with us,as the car gets too hot,and you cannot leave her at the place you stay either for very long.  We never put her in kennels though,my mum loves having her and always spoils her.  Many places do not want dogs,and many beaches ban them.

I think as he trusts you,and you gradually increase the distance,resulting in a really fun walk,tiring him out for the journey home,things will improve.If not you could see if the vet has any suggestions.

[Steven]

When my dog was a puppy (5 years ago) he used to be terribly ill while traveling in the car.
I steadily increased his journeys in it with always a reward at the end-like puppy training,town,my mums house,forest etc.Dogs soon learn that a journey to the vets involves the car and this makes them nervous and you need to make them feel at ease in the car.
It took about 1 year for him to get completely over it,but perserverence is the key.At one point,i could drive for 3 minutes and he would be sick all over the place.

[Mimi]

Poor doggy,  like you feet of clay, my mum and dad have a dog.  She is a black labrador one of a litter of 10 that our dog had. The day that they came to collect her they just managed to get to the crossroads near my then home(about 20yds) before she lost stomach contents.  Have to say that with time and a lot of patience she came to love going ridabout.  Dont have any probs fortunatly with my two.  Both standard long hair daschunds, they love to lie in the back window like trainee draught excluders, and bask in the sunshine.  They look like stuffed toys ;D

[Val]

Hi Feets, don't know if this will help with the sickness but it certainly helps with storms and fireworks. its Bach rescue remedy, you can buy it at boots the chemist, its not for dogs but it helps mine. I put about 4 drops on some bread, cake or whatever she likes and it seems to calm her down without being a heavy tranquilliser. Good luck.

[feet of clay]

Thanks everybody.  I will persist in extending the journey time - unfortuntely all my dogs get breakfast - it's a legacy of having a cat - the cat got breakfast after being in all night in the hope that he would be too full to want to kill!  Because I was feeding the cat, the dogs got something too, consequently this dog always has something to hurl!  I'll have a go at the Rescue remedy too.
My son took his wife's Bichon to the vet yesterday cos it had a sore on the side of the face and had made a mess by scratching it.  Two injections, a tube of cream and a pack of flea treatment (plus one for the other dog) later and the bill was £110. Ouch!

[Muddy_Boots]

£110!  I'm in deep shock :o  Is the vet appointed to the Royal Household? !!!  The max that would have cost at our vet would be about £30!

Great sympathies re doggie car sickness.  Remember, years ago, we had a cocker spaniel with the same problem.  My parents got over it by having a small chain dangling underneath the car and just touching the ground!  Anyone else remember that?  Can't see the logic of it but it did work!  ??? :D

[Steven]

I sympasise with you concerning vets bills as they have staeadily risen to epic perportions.
Two weeks ago,i took my Rottweiler to the vets because he had a grass seed in his paw.5 days worth of anti-biotics and 4 minutes consulation=£51.Admittingly,he has to have large doses due to size,but this is way too expensive.
His worming powder (cant have tablets due to sensitive tummy) has doubled to £9 over 5 years.

Would suggest not feeding him prior to going out in car so his stomach is empty.I wised up to this very quickly...
Something else-try peppermint spray as this can sometimes help children with travel sickness.I tried some herbal droplets on mine,but they didnt work.

[feet of clay]

Thanks again everybody.  I'll also give the peppermint spray a go.  I remember the dangling chains.  My parents used to sit me on a newspaper to try to stop me hurling as a kid - I grew out of it eventually.