Car Sickness in Dogs

Car sickness in dogs is common, and there are a number of measures you can take to prevent and treat it.

The first bout of car sickness can often be due to the upset of leaving the litter on the way to their new home, or the panic from the trip home from their first injection.

If you are going on a journey, here are some tips to prevent car sickness in your dog. But just in case make sure you have a few towels and some baby wipes!

Prevention

Increase the travelling distance gradually, and preferably on a day which isn’t too hot.

• Motion sickness can be reduced in the front passenger footwell surprisingly, so this might be a better option to start with rather than in the boot in a crate.Try short trips on straight roads for your dog/puppy to get used to it
• Make sure there is plenty of ventilation in the car
• Avoid feeding soon before travelling
• Make regular stops along the way, giving your dog a chance to catch some fresh air and stretch their legs
• A couple of ginger biscuits 20 minutes beforehand are said to help.

Treatment

If you need to go on a long journey and know your dog is prone to car sickness, you can ask your vet for some tables.

If your dog suffers from car sickness, don’t worry most young dogs grow out of it!