Does anybody now if Travella Travel sickness tablets would be ok to give to pups 19 weeks? They are supposed to be a homoeopathic medicine. Poor Sydney really hates the car. He drools before he even gets in the car. Has been sick a few times. Poor tyke even associates his lead with the car. Soon as he sees is he runs away, not like other dogs who see a lead and go bezerk.

Read on another post Sea Legs were recommended childs dosage for dogs, couldnt find them so bought Travella (ill feed em to the kids if no good for Sydney). I also bought him some ginger nut biscuits. Anybody have any idea if I could give him a ginger tablet rather than the travella, or even put some ginger drops in his water?

Your advice would be appreciated I really want to cure Sydney of his sickness.

Hi,
One of my aussie bitches has dreadful car sickness, we can't go anywhere without a travel sickness pill. She has had the one I give her, from her being a puppy with no side effects whatsoever. It is called ''Stugeron'' and is available at most chemists and pharmacies........ My breeder recommended it, and my vet checked it and said, if she really needed a travel sickness pill, this one would do her no harm.
I give her one tablet about an hour before travelling, and it lasts her right through the day and into the night, so she does not need another one.......
I tried lots of herbal things for her and ginger as well, but none of it worked for us..
Hope this helps you,
Gabrielle x

Hi, I have used Sea legs with success on puppies as young as 10 weeks. I havent tried the Stugeron but it sounds really good. I am sure it will be perfectly safe to try the homeopathic remedy you have, if it works do come back and tell!!

Have you tried putting a thick rubber mat under him/his bedding when travelling.

Taz used to get terribly car sick and it turned out to be the static building up in the car. Rubber under, problem solved.

Hi

Car sickness/anxiety is mainly caused through stress not motion or balance problems. It has been estimated that 95% of carsickness and anxiety cases are related to stress normally caused on that first journey when the puppy is first taken from the litter to your home.

This has to be one of the most traumatic times in a dog’s life, when it is separated from its littermates. Suddenly it’s on it’s own without the comfort of the mother or siblings and the first thing we do is put it in a car. Therefore it is not altogether surprising that future car journeys can induce fear and stress sometimes resulting in the dog being sick or anxious

The solution is relatively easy. Firstly with the engine switched off feed the dog it’s meals in the car, you can sit in with it during this time after a day or so feed the dog with the engine running then run the car round the block a day after that

If the dog is carsick calculate how long it takes for the dog to become sick and find a place to exercise the dog that you can drive to it before the dog becomes physically sick.

If possible have someone in the car that can feed titbits to the dog. But do not sympathise with the dog as this will only fuel the fear. Keep him distracted by titbits and play during the journey to the park. Then do all the things you normally do play ball, run, hide etc. You don’t have to stay long just long enough for the dog to enjoy itself. On the journey home do the same thing as on the way out, distracting the dog from the journey itself.

If possible repeat several times a day. Once the dog is happy and even eager to go in the car then lengthen the journey to approaching the time when the dog was normally sick, then gradually increase the journey to 35/40 minute.
if there are no signs of distress then you probably have the problem sorted.

Repetition is the key to these types of problems, overcoming the dogs initial stress and fear little by little till it takes away the original concern that was causing the sickness/anxiety.

Best of Luck

Doglistener

Thanks everyone. Poor Sydney I dont like to see him upset and anxious like this. His journey home from his littermates was spent asleep on my lap, he didnt seemed distressed or unhappy. He travelled comfortably in the back of my saxo without drooling or being sick for a few weeks but now I have the freelander he is drooling. I have tried feeding him, or giving him his kong or a toy, but he usually just lays down and isnt interested. My daily journeys usually last 10-15 mins then his gets out for a walk..
I shall try the rubber matting I have a yoga mat that I will leave under his bed. I shall also try placing sydney in the car without driving anywhere and sitting in there with him. Sometimes he will eat treats sometimes not so Ill try that with him.
I shall try him with the tablets as well and will let you know if he improves. I think its going to be a slow process hopefully he will grow out of it. Thanks again .

Sorry but the car itself can be a factor.

My Citreon ZX was a very static car - everytime you got out and touched it you got zapped. And every time Taz got in it he was sick. My local vetinary nurse suggested the thick rubber matting. However as I had run out of dog room I changed the car to one which did not suffer from the same problem.

The sickness disappeared with the first trip in it.

Hi

I did state that 95% of travel sickness was caused by anxiety and stress there is occassionally, albeit fairly rare factors such as motion sickness and static that sometimes comes into play. But they are very much in the minority.

I am sure we can all quote exceptions to the rule, however this doesn't alter the fact that it has been scientifically proved that stress/anxiety is the major/main cause of Car sickness. And the program I suggested does work the majority of cases.

Doglistener

hi, I find that most poor travellers travel better if they cant see the road/sky going by. Can you pop him in a crate ideally on the floor behind the front passenger seat.?Dogs are then low down over the centre of gravity of the car and will get less "sway" when you drive. Cover the top and upper parts of the crate so he can only see the interior of the car, not outside. Hopefully he is small enough to give this a try.

Hi Westie Lover

I am trying not to be being Facetious but have you read the previous postings??.

I promise you the problem is rarely motion sickness

Regards

Doglistener

A ginger biscuit before travelling can very often settle the tummy.

Doglistener - interesting to see how you react when other people post on a topic you feel you have covered :-) So far I haven't noticed much 'support' in where your facts and figures are coming from and although you are offering good basic commonsense this is an information exchange board (see top of window) and other people do have important points to bring to the discussion :-)

I fully accept your statement I tend to come from a scientific standpoint and do accept that all others have valid points and input

There has been a number of studies both in America and Europe that have looked into stress patterns of Canines, with reference to car travel. All came up with the same conclusion that is normaly based on stress/fear, rather than motion sickness.

If you watch the dog you will normally find that it will start shedding a little bit more hair, the pupils will sometimes dilate and it will start salivating and it may tremble. Non of these tend to be signs of motion sickness. they are all clear signs of anxiety.

Regards

Doglistener

At the end of the day, we can read all the studies in the world, you do what works for you as an individual and for your dog.
I tried the rubber matting, the starting of the car engine etc, nothing worked and no, she is not anxious or troubled in the car whatsoever, I know my bitch and I know what works for her, which is travel sickness pills.........
Each to their own,
Gabrielle

The best solution I have found is Junket tablets available from any supermarket.Just one tablet 15 minutes prior to travelling works wonders.Myself and many other dog owners swear by them.