Does Your Dog or Cat get Car Sick?

If so, you know how unpleasant that can make the trip to Grandma's house. The good news is that in most pets the nausea that causes the signs and symptoms of car sickness can be controlled. Before we jump to the meds though let's talk about trying to get your pooch or kitty accustomed to car rides.

If you start early and gradually most pets can get used to riding in the car. The first thing to do is try a few short trips with Fido in tow. Start by driving around the block and gradually increase the duration of the trips. Try resting and getting out of the car frequently especially if you see signs of drooling. The next phase after drooling often involves something to clean up. Yuk.

 

Car sickness is really a form of motion sickness and it's caused by stimulation of the vestibular apparatus in the inner ear.

The vestibular system allows us to maintain our balance among other things and sometimes when it's out of whack we get dizzy and feel nauseous. Riding in a car and watching things go by at high speeds can stimulate the the vestibular apparatus and make pets feel sick. too. Nausea, drooling, panting, anxiety and vomiting ensue.

 

If you can't get a pet used to riding in the car it's time to try some common drugs. Both Benadryl and Dramamine have been used successfully in dogs and cats. Both of these are non prescription and can be found in most pharmacies. It is really a good idea to talk with your veterinarian before you give a human drug like Dramamine to a pet. There can be side effects. Dogs with glaucoma, enlarged prostate glands or high blood pressure should not get Dramamine and cats with over active thyroid glands should avoid it, too.

 

Your veterinarian will probably tell you to give about 4 mg of Dramamine per pound of body weight to a dog and 12.5 mg in total to cats.

 

The Dramamine we have in the medicine cabinet comes in 50 mg tablets. So for a ten pound dog at 4 mg/Lb you'd need to give 40 mg or slightly less than one whole tablet. A 12.5 pound dog would get a whole tablet. For cats you would need to give them 1/4 of a 50 mg tablet or 12.5 mg. That can get a little tricky so be careful and err on the low side.

 

Some dogs and cats get quite anxious in cars and may do better on real sedatives. This is where you'll need to work with your veterinarian. They have options available but these drugs will cause sedation and need to be used with caution and veterinary supervision.

 

With a little advanced planning even car sickness prone dogs can go on vacation. And who really wants to leave them at home, anyway?  

Comments

[Laptop Battery]

I used curtains in my landcruser car for my cat to avoid any problem while on travel. This is the best altranative of Dramamine.

-Mathew J.

[art paintings]

I don't even like old cars. I'd rather have a goddam horse. A horse is at least human, for God's sake.

[Georges Harrison]

Thank you so much. Great information here. My Boston Terrier "Tulipe" was prone to car sickness and everything we tried failed.
A friend visiting from Great Britain introduced me to an antistatic strap. It worked like a charm! I am so happy now. I can take her to the park or to my parents who live hours away.

[dog health]

I used curtains in my landcruser car for my cat to avoid any problem while on travel. This is the best altranative of Dramamine.

-Mathew J.