For many dogs, going on a car ride is a rewarding experience, owing to the variety of views and smells they get to perceive on the way. However, dogs that experience motion sickness, and become anxious or even nauseous during journeys might hold you back from having good times with them.
Helping your dog overcome stress and anxiety during car rides will strengthen your chances for more future trips and for creating countless memories with your dog.
Here’s all you need to know about motion sickness in dogs.
Causes of Motion Sickness in Dogs
If your dog isn’t doing fine while traveling in a car, bus, or train, the following could be to blame for your dog’s motion sickness.
- Lack of conditioning towards traveling
- Overwhelming unusual stimuli during the ride
- Traumatic ride experiences in the past
- Nausea due to ear disorders in dogs
- Medicines that cause vomiting
Some dogs only get to ride a car once or twice a year, usually during veterinarian visits. This may literally make them feel sick on the ride as they associate traveling with sickness.
Furthermore, motion sickness is more common in puppies and young dogs than in older ones, but it is usually outgrown as they grow up and have more travel experience. So, if your recently adopted puppy is experiencing car sickness, there’s not much to worry about.
Signs of Motion Sickness in Dogs
Unfortunately, dogs can’t tell us they’re feeling nauseated or anxious, but there are motion sickness signs in dogs to watch out for. These include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Whining
- Uneasiness
- Panting
- Trembling
- Excessive drooling
- Excessive yawning
- Lethargy
- Other signs of anxiety
Remedies for Motion Sickness in Dogs
Motion sickness and car sickness in dogs can be treated in a variety of ways. Here are a few of them:
Desensitizing and Acclimatization: Small outings prior to longer travel can help your dog become familiar with the new environment and acclimate to the motion more quickly, reducing car sickness.
Positive conditioning: Taking your dog on car rides that lead to good things, such as going to a dog park or grabbing a pup cupcake treat at a nearby restaurant.
Breaks: Taking breaks at regular intervals can help your dog feel more comfortable when traveling long distances. This is also a good time for your dog to take a stroll outside the car.
Toys and Treats: Toys and treats offer great distraction on the go. Also, giving it would help your dog associate the rides with fun and rewards.
Anxiety Treatments: Anxiety treatments can easily comfort your dog’s travel anxiety. Sprays like Thunder Essence Dog Calming Spray and Adaptil Spray, and chews like ThunderWunder Dog Calming Chews and Natural Animal Solution Calm Tablets greatly relieve anxiety in dogs.
Conclusion
Accustoming your dog to staying calm during journeys is not going to happen in a day. If your dog isn’t improving as rapidly as you’d like, don’t get disappointed or furious. While dealing with a dog that has car or travel sickness might be aggravating, figuring out what’s causing the problem is the first step in finding a solution. Use the above-explained methods to overcome this problem!
