Car sick all of a sudden

Purley · 11-05-2009, 06:25 PM

Twice recently Cooper has thrown up all over my son's car. He was not pleased! However, I am taking Cooper to those obedience classes and also he comes to my house when my son is working and I sure don't want him throwing up in MY car!

He doesn't throw up anywhere but in the car and he is now almost six months old. Any ideas why he would start now? I can give him gravol, but I don't want to give him gravol (dramamine) every time I bring him to my house.

TooneyDogs · 11-05-2009, 07:02 PM

Inner ear problems will cause motion sickness. I'd check that first and if that's not the problem, then traveling in a covered crate usually fixes it.

Purley · 11-05-2009, 07:49 PM

Never thought of ear problems. Can they check for that or does it take a huge vet bill to figure it out?

REB · 11-06-2009, 04:31 PM

Our 1-year-old schnoodle gets carsick, too. I posted about it recently, actually, asking for suggestions. The crate will probably help. It's a pain to move the crate in and out of the car for just short car rides, but it's better than cleaning up dog vomit! Another thing that several people suggested was ginger snaps, since ginger is a natural way to settle the stomach and won't make Cooper drowsy like dramamine will. If he'll eat it, you could also try giving him a few slivers of fresh ginger.

Purley · 11-06-2009, 05:40 PM

I didn't think half a gravol would make him drowsy. I haven't tried it though. I am not sure if this is too much information, but my granddaughter showed me where he had thrown up - at least by the time I saw it it was on their driveway. It looked like fibres - maybe bits of wood - rather like those coconut matting doormats.

I have a really large yard and there is all kinds of wood lying around. I got rid of the actual pieces of plywood but the bits of branches etc I can't get rid of them. He was in my car twice already today. We went back and forth to my son's. It's only about a seven minute drive but he was fine both times.

Maybe he had just eaten a load of junk and that was the problem - hopefully!!

TooneyDogs · 11-06-2009, 07:36 PM

You can do the basic check....excess hair, wax build-up, ear mites, smelly ear (infection).

HeatherMaran · 11-07-2009, 03:01 AM

My Shih Tzu gets car sick. If I know we're going somewhere in the car, I don't feed him for several hours beforehand. I bought some "Happy Traveler" stuff, but have never had to use it...and we've moved from Seattle to So Cal without a problem just by limiting his food intake.

Also, my dogs used to puke up bark all the time. I finally had to pick up every single piece of bark from the yard (although they still find some). If you're seeing those things in his puke, then I'd imagine the car is just a coincidence.

Purley · 11-08-2009, 12:16 PM

I have a feeling you're right - it was just coincidence because one happened in the evening and the next time was the next morning and he had been at my house earlier in the day and there is vegetation all over my yard - trees, branches fallen down, logs, bits of wood. When dogs/puppies chew things I guess they swallow it too!