What Causes Some Dogs to Get Car Sick?

A person getting car sick is bad enough. No one likes feeling nauseated from motion sickness and certainly no one likes cleaning up after the experience either! But even worse is when you have a pet that is prone to motion sickness.

A person who has a tendency toward car sickness can always plan ahead and possibly take a medication that relieves the symptoms or use some other method such as pressure point therapy to combat the problem. But a dog can't communicate its needs like a human. Often you don't know there's a problem until you hear that dreaded "urping" sound -- and by then it's too late!

What is it that causes a dog to get car sick? It's actually not all that different from humans. In fact, it's often just the luck of the draw, as it were. Some dogs, and even cats, are just plain prone to car sickness. But there are some things you can do to prevent the problem.

It's important to note that often motion sickness is a problem common to puppies. This is because the area in the ear that controls balance has not yet developed completely. As a result they get dizzy or off kilter and this manifests itself through nausea.

If your pup has gotten sick several times in the car he may also come to associate the car with these unpleasant feelings. Thus, he becomes his own worst enemy and may well be causing his own car sickness. In such a case, a little Dramamine or similar medication for car sickness may help. After a few uneventful trips your pup will hopefully stop associating the car with sickness and adjust to the experience. Some even come to love going "bye-bye in the car."

Since Fido can't tell you he's feeling sick, you will want to familiarize yourself with the telltale signs, which include some or all of the following:

- Squirminess, indicating he's uncomfortable;

- Listlessness;

- Whining;

- Constant yawning;

- Drooling more than usual; and, finally,

- Vomiting

If this has been a problem with your dog, plan ahead. Keep towels in the car and maybe even a room deodorizer for clean-up. Keep Dramamine in an accessible place -- your purse or the glove compartment, for instance.

Another important tip is not to let him watch out the side window of the car. Watching everything rush past him is bound to trigger the nausea! If he wants to look out a window, be sure he's facing forward. They actually make seat belts for dogs that restrict them to a forward position.

It also helps if you can keep the drive as smooth as possible. This means anticipating and avoiding as many bumps or potholes as possible. It may also help to keep a window cracked open at least a little to give him some fresh air.

Whatever you can do to ease your dog's discomfort will ease yours also and enable you to concentrate on your driving rather than the disaster slowly developing in the seat behind you!