Fudge our mastiff X pup who's nearly six months old, suffers from travel sickness, we have tried to build up our car journeys slowly but even after 10 minutes in the car he gets sick, we got some natural tablets with ginger from the vets but these don't help, I hoped he would grow out of it like Bo did (our Rotti) so far he has not. It can't be much fun for him and our puppy training/classes are about an hour round trip, so of course any treats/rewards he gets at classes are (sorry) brought back up. We have tried not feeding him a few hours before going out but he will allways find something to bring up. Didnt know if his having parvo (some of you may or may not know/remember) when he was younger would be having an effect? Any ideas are greatfully recieved! :-)

Thanks Diane

Hi Diane one of my Paps has always had this prob to the point she almost collapses on a long journey, have tried absolutely everything available and the only thing that works is ACP tablets from the vet, they are not prescribed lightly and are only to be taken in the dose advised but they do work and for my girl it means the difference between arriving somewhere in a god awful state and arriving just slightly sleepy but not sick at all.

Our Papillon Freddy also had terrible travel sickness - he would be sick within a few minutes of being in the car, I tried DAP spray and herbal tablets, also prescription tablets, none of it made any difference for him. But, he's now over a year old and is almost grown out of it. I felt we would never be able to do anything like take him on holiday with us, so it's marvellous, so maybe there is still hope that your pup will grow out of it in time.  The only thing that I think might have helped Freddy was taking him for quite regular short trips with a lovely walk planned, so he would start to make a positive association with the car, but basically I think he has got better with age so I hope this happens for your pup too.

You could try putting her in a crate and covering it then gradually lifting the sides over time as she gets used to the car . Inbetween this take her to the car with some lovely food and feed her  there without actually travelling anywhere . I think they associate the car with feeling sick and it starts before you have actually travelled anywhere.
You can also use sea legs 2hrs before the journey ( from the chemist)  and remember no food before travelling.

I also think most dogs grow out of it in time.

Have found that putting the dog in a covered crate in a tight high-sided bed to minimise rolling around helped a lot. As suggested before, gradually uncover the crate untill the dog feels secure.
Also have you tried just sitting in the car with the engine on for a while, then go to the next street and back, gradually increasing your distance but not actually letting the dog out?
Good Luck.

I tried all that with my girl but all to no avail, she actually shakes and salivates in terror at just getting in the car :-(  I didnt get her until she was 6 months old and the behaviour seemed totally ingrained by then, I hope you have better luck with yours diane.

I have a Papillon who will be 3 this year, she never vomited while traveling.  The minute she saw the car coming out she would start salivating even if she wasn't going in it.  Sometimes even putting on my jacket or perfume used to start her off.  She now has a full sea legs the night before travelling and this seems to have sorted it out for her.  Funnily she never ever does it on the way home, the only other time I have had any problems was with a pup from a repeat mating of her litter.  Any other dogs I usually let them be sick, clean up give them a dry biscuit and a drink of water and they seem to go on ok from there, takes a couple of journeys but they seem to get over it quite quick.  I hope you find a way round it soon.
 

> You could try putting her in a crate and covering it then gradually lifting the sides over time as she gets used to the car . Inbetween this take her to the car with some lovely food and feed her  there without actually travelling anywhere .

Thanks think I will try this for next weeks puppy classes, hopefully it will make abit of difference.
Might try the sea legs as well does it make them drowsy at all?

> I also think most dogs grow out of it in time.

I truly hope so as we intend going to Cornwall or Devon for a holiday with the dogs in the summer well when and if we get a summer!
Thanks for your replies

Diane xx

I would probably give half a sea legs tablet as she is a pup but would recommend ringing your vet and asking the dosage to be safe. It does calm them down a little once they are out of the car they are fine.

have you tried a ginger biscuit? we have found ginger works great for travel sickness

xx

Thanks will give them a ring.

> It does calm them down a little once they are out of the car they are fine.

Good at the moment we mainly need it for his classes, but want to build up to going abit further.

Diane

> have you tried a ginger biscuit? we have found ginger works great for travel sickness

Thanks, his tablets from the vets have ginger in but I did not think of trying biscuits.

Diane