Because my patients come to me—and not vice versa—I have fielded many questions about motion sickness and provided many damp towels for cleaning out clients’ cars. If your dog gets into the car twice a year for his vet visit, motion sickness might not be such a big deal. On the other hand, you may wish someday to enjoy your pet’s company on regular commutes or the occasional long haul. You can make an impact on motion sickness, particularly if you have a younger and more impressionable pet.

 

First, many veterinary sources agree that dogs under the age of twelve months suffer more from motion sickness due to the immaturity of their vestibular system. This is the part of the brain that either augments or stifles the sense of “dizziness”. Nausea is an extremely potent motivator when it comes to learning new information, so early car trips will tend to be very memorable. Unforgettable, even. Sadly, these experiences may solidify the pup’s initial suspicion that your car is an evil torture chamber of queasiness. Several remedies can be employed, and should be attempted early—before your pet’s hatred for the car has a chance to be set in stone.

 

In any brush with vomiting, the stomach should be kept empty if possible. Withhold your pup’s food for 6-8 hours prior to the car trip. Anti-nausea or anti-vertigo medications similar to those used in humans can be administered, once the pup is old enough, under the direction of your veterinarian. There is even a dog-specific drug that is meant for just this purpose. If your dog has used an Elizabethan or buster collar (AKA “radar dish”) for another purpose, consider pulling this out for a trial run. In some dogs, the collar serves as a blinder against disturbing visual stimuli, thereby reducing nausea.

 

Remember that every bad experience reinforces your puppy’s fear of the car and piles on the anxiety. Do your utmost to make car rides into a boring routine. Start by getting into the car with your dog and awarding some tiny treat (peanut butter, anyone?) without starting the engine. Move on to starting the car and then shutting it down. Try a trip down the block. Each increment should only take your dog out as far as he can handle without freaking him out. The idea is to give him the confidence necessary to attempt a car ride, thereby removing anxiety from the motion sickness equation.

 

Motion sickness probably always begins as a simple bout of dizziness that’s subsequently complicated by layers and layers of fear. Knowing that puppies are actually more sensitive to dizziness during the most impressionable time of their lives emphasizes the need to treat this condition aggressively. Don’t just drive around town hoping it will go away on its own. Use these preventative steps and behavioral measures—along with medication, if necessary. Keep your pup from learning a lesson about the car that he might never unlearn.

 

Dr. M.S. Regan