Anybody who has ever experienced motion sickness will understand that it is not always something you can control. The same goes for your pet – he doesn’t have any control over it, but you can help him with these tips.
- If you suspect that your dog feels sick when he rides in the car, limit his food intake beforehand. Rather feed him when you arrive at your destination. While he should have some water to drink during stops, don’t allow him to drink too much. Rather give him less to drink, but more often.
- Try to face your dog forwards towards the front of the car by using a doggie seatbelt. When your dog suffers from motion sickness, you don’t want him to move around in the car too much either.
- Although it is not always possible, try to choose routes that are straight rather than curved and up and down.
- Ask your vet for some anti-nausea medication if your dog’s motion sickness is particularly bad and causes vomiting.
Even if you use a doggie seatbelt, you may want to have a hammock in your car as well. A lot of hammocks are waterproof, which works well if your dog vomits in the car.
In most cases, motion sickness is stress-related. Your dog might not vomit, but may show other symptoms, like yawning, excessive drooling, lip smacking or whining. Even excessive panting might be a sign of motion sickness. Look out for these and other signs to figure out if your dog may be getting sick in the car, or not.
Evaluate your dog’s situation if he suffers from motion sickness and ask yourself the question: is it really worth taking him on long trips if he suffers during the car ride?
