dog and the car

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nikkim0501
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:10 pm

dog and the car

Post by nikkim0501 »

one of my dogs just refuses to get in the car. I have tried the gradual treats into the car, it has not worked. I have to literaly pick him up and force him in. once he's in and we drive for a bit he then throws up. Each time we are travelling I give him a few licks of a otc for calmness. after waiting sometimes an hour before we approach the car, he still refuses and slobbers before he throws up. Any other suggestions?
joji732
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Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:31 pm

car sickness

Post by joji732 »

It's pretty obvious that your dog suffers from car sickness. Thiink about it - if you knew that getting in the car meant that you were going to get nauseous and vomit, would you want to do it? That said, why don't you try giving him a ginger snap some time before getting in the car. Ginger is valuable for settling the stomach. I suspect that once he can ride in the car without vomiting (if this is at all possible for him) he should be less reluctant. It may also help to let him ride in a plastic crate - it is often the disconnect between what a dog sees (the world moving past at a rapid rate) and what a dog is doing (nothing that should be causing the world to move like that) that can cause the car sickness.

Hope this helps!
joji732
Posts: 66
Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 10:31 pm

car sickness

Post by joji732 »

It's pretty obvious that your dog suffers from car sickness. Thiink about it - if you knew that getting in the car meant that you were going to get nauseous and vomit, would you want to do it? That said, why don't you try giving him a ginger snap some time before getting in the car. Ginger is valuable for settling the stomach. I suspect that once he can ride in the car without vomiting (if this is at all possible for him) he should be less reluctant. It may also help to let him ride in a plastic crate - it is often the disconnect between what a dog sees (the world moving past at a rapid rate) and what a dog is doing (nothing that should be causing the world to move like that) that can cause the car sickness.

Hope this helps!
nikkim0501
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:10 pm

dog and car

Post by nikkim0501 »

thaks for the advice, i'll try that. we are going to the vet again next week for 6 month exam, and i am not looking forward to having to clean the car carpet again, since i just did it last week.
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

Where in the car does he travel? This can make all the difference to his journey, and your clearing up! :)
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nikkim0501
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:10 pm

dog and car

Post by nikkim0501 »

he and my other dog sit in the back seat of my van. i had to stop them from sitting in the middle section because of the hair. we never travel more than 8 miles at a time. the shortest trips being a few times around the neighborhood
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

You lie on (not sit in) the back seat and have someone else drive, and see what the ride is like. Remember your dog has nothing to hold on with, so you don't hold on either. Some vehicles can be really uncomfortable and yours may be one.

Maybe you can drop the back seats and have the dog on a bigger level surface, see if the ride is smoother.

Young dogs often grow out of travel sickness, or there is a variety of things you can give to help, but none is any good if the ride is rough.
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emmabeth
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Post by emmabeth »

Ill vomit if i sit (or lie) on the back seat of a car.... in over 20 years ive not grown out of it!

Never have I vomited when sat in the front though!

Ideally the best place is in the middle of the vehicle as thats where you get the smoothest ride and feel the least amount of movement from cornering..

Ive also had success with having dogs travel sat in the footwell, facing me - however i can see why you may not want to try that - a lapfull of dog sick is no ones idea of fun.

Id cover the middle seats with something to keep the hair off them and try that. Whilst growing out of motion sickness is possible - fear and nausea can become almost learned behaviour and continue on even if the root cause is removed!
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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

We always travelled our dogs in the boot with a dog guard up until one day I travelled a short journey there, our dogs were immediately moved to the back seats because I found it really uncomfortable, was bounced around and noisy. My dogs immediately travelled much better.

I don't have a choice now but to travel 2 dogs in the boot, 6 dogs can't fit onto the back seat.
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nikkim0501
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:10 pm

dogs in the car

Post by nikkim0501 »

i don't take Ocean out with me solo, for fear he throws up. Phoebe can sit, walk, lie, or do whatever she wants. But this is only when i'm driving solo. I have two children that need to sit in the car too. I guess I could try to put ocean in one of the middle seats to see how that goes.
What is the "boot"?,
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Nettle
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Post by Nettle »

"Boot" is English for "trunk" but I suspect Mattie means the luggage area of a hatchback. It's illegal in UK to travel dogs in the boot/trunk but okay in the hatchback rear end.

Not a good place to travel dogs as Mattie found - as well as noise, exhaust fumes get in there.
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Fundog
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Post by Fundog »

When I was a teen, we had a fairly large dog. My dad had an old Chevy Malibu that had previously been rear-ended, so the "boot"/trunk no longer had a lid, but was open, like an El Camino. Whenever we took Brandon with us anywhere, he rode in the open trunk. But he was tethered, so he could not jump out accidentally when it wasn't safe to do so. People always got a big kick out of seeing the dog riding so happily in the trunk of this old coupe.
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Mattie
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Post by Mattie »

Thanks Nettle I sometimes forget we have different words for some things.

I have an 4x4 estate car and can get a 36in crate in the luggage part quite easily.
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nikkim0501
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Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2009 10:10 pm

dog and the car

Post by nikkim0501 »

ok I took you all's advice and put Ocean in a middle seat, after having to lift his 40lbs butt. he didn't vomit but he foamed at the mouth. we did at least make it to the vet with no major problems. when i picked him up from the vet, we sat in the car for about 10 min, with the car idling. i sat in the seat next to him for comfort. not sure if that did him any good, but we still made it home with no disruptions. i do think the vet gave him something to subdue him.
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Nettle
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Re: dog and the car

Post by Nettle »

[quote="nikkim0501 i do think the vet gave him something to subdue him.[/quote]

Phone the vet and check, or have a look at your bill. It isn't good if your dog is given medication you don't know about. You need to know and also you need to know what it was if he did.
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