my 5 month old jack russell has travel sickness in cars, any suggestions?

Question

He has never had any bad experiences to cause his problems, his saliva poors from his mouth and his gums go white. He is constanley sick and panicks in the car. Have tried front seat and the rear seats and the windows open, even sitting on my lap and with his own mat with no difference. The vet suggested childrens travel sickness pills and that just made him dopey and didn't make any difference. Any suggestions how I can overcome this problem would be greatfully received.

Answer 1

My Jack Russell puppy also had car sickness (puked in my emergency brake twice). I found that tying his leash to something so he couldn't move too far helped, as long as he could still see out the window. Maybe get a doggy seatbelt, that'll do the same thing. Good luck!

Answer 2

Darklighter is a disgrace. Maybe he's so twisted because the way he's recommending the puppy should be trained is probably how he was potty trained himself You NEVER train a puppy or any other creature through pain and fear. You introduce good training habits like taking them outside to an appropriate place after they have, eaten, slept played or just been indoors for an extended period, and encourage them to do the necessary. You then praise them extravagantly and tell them they're clever. They get the message very quickly. You will have to be especially patient with a rescue dog. I rescued an eighteen month old beagle some years ago and she just never learned how to ask to be let out into the garden. If the door was open she would go out. If it was closed she would just wee as close to the door as possible. Her early life had been so traumatic that she never really recovered fully. I'd had her a year before she felt confident enough to lie on her back and let me tickle her tummy. So good luck with your little Russell. Above all - be patient and give her loads of exercise as they're a very energetic breed.

Answer 3

Its normal for pups to get travel sickness, and it really does make them feel poorly so its no wonder your dog now dislikes the car! The usual remedy is to use the car as a room in your house for the next few weeks to break the association between the car and sickness! You play with your dog in the car, you feed your dog in the car, and you get him to play with a ball or rag toy in the car.
After a couple of weeks of this you can do it with the engine switched on, and it shouldn't bother him.
After a week of that you should be able to drive up the road and back.
Keep it short and sweet. Most pups grow out of travel sickness, but if you want to use the car regularly you have to train your dog to look forwards to it. So don't just put him in there to go to the vets! Take him anywhere fun, the park or a beach. Persevere and you'll help him get over it.

Answer 4

95% of travel sickness in dogs is caused by anxiety, rather than true motion sickness. There is a product available from your vet called "DAP spray"
Developed by a team of French scientists, the Dog Appeasing Pheromone (DAP) is an innovative product designed to help your dog cope with these forms of anxiety and stress. 3 to 5 days after birthing, a mother secretes appeasing pheromones to provide her pups with a feeling of comfort and safety.
DAP spray is an odourless, synthetic version of those pheromones, producing a calming atmosphere with no sedative effect and maintaining the dog’s ability to interact and play. The 60ml spray is ideal for use in situations such as travelling, visits to the vet or adjusting to a new environment. 8-10 pumps of the spray should be used approx 15 minutes before introducing the dog to the environment, and should last approx 1.5 to 2 hours.
Hopefully this will help. For more details look at http://www.dap-pheromone.com/corporateukpro.nsf/FO_Menu/0798FB244A783C1CC1256F24003D21A0?OpenDocument&Expand=5

Answer 5

I have the same problem with my puppy i have found travel sickness and motion sickness from the vets did not help at all ,it helps some dogs but not all,i find a ginger biscuit given half an hour before traveling helps if you can get him to eat fresh ginger that is even beter good luck keep persevering as sometimes they just grow out of it.

Answer 6

Allowing the dog to sit up high enough is key. If he can't see the road or the horizon he will sense the motion more and feel sick.

Success had been had just by using some type of booster seat to give them the extra lift they need to see out the window properly for the entire ride.

Good luck

Answer 7

Try giving him half the dose the doctor recommeded for him and take him for a very short ride, taking care to go slow and talk to your dog the whole time in soothing tones. Try to avoid quick movement with the car slowing and accelarating very deliberately. Do this with ever increasing the distance you go but make sure you continue the soothing speech and deliberate motion changes. At lot of times this will help and when he can tolerate longer travel try not giving him the half dose of medication and see what happens. I say a half dose because it won't make him so dopey! Good luck

Answer 8

Hi Sunrise,
I used to have a Jack Russel, alas no longer on the planet, but he too could not be doing with car journeys - same sort of problems.
I found the best bet was to put his basket & blanket in the passenger foot-well, which seemed to work for him, as he was not experiencing the landscape moving past. Un-natural for most dogs, hence motion sickness.
I did consider strapping him to the roof-rack, but many would take a correctly dim view of that! (Only kidding)
A freind of mine used to stick one of these sea-sickness patches near the bewildered dogs' belly-button, for the duration. It also seemed to help.
Some dogs, of course, love to travel with their head poking out of a partially opened window.
Trouble there was with my Boxer, when living in the Mid-East. He loved the sea, and leapt out one day at the sight of a beach, at about 30mph. Charming ! ( He was fine)
All the best with it, and I'm sure that from the age of 5 months, your freind will slowly get used to it all.
Bob.

Answer 9

Completely wear him out before you go. Force him to stay awake for a long period of time. Once he is sleeping he shouldn't get sick. Also I give my dog pepto, and that seems to help (only if he gets sick) It was recommended by my Vet. My dog is 11 and we have done it since he was a pup. When you are in the "Navy" you have to travel alot. Good luck

Answer 10

my rottie used to get carsick, the vet advised me to spend a little time each day getting him used to the car whilst it was'nt going to be moving, providing little distractions like sitting in the car one day and playing with a favorite toy, and the next day with a treat like a chew or whatever , but all the while without the motor running so the dog can associate the car with not being a traumatic experience but more of an enjoyable one, then after a few weeks take small journeys with the dog like 5-10min journeys to get him used to this once you have built his confidence, and he has begun to settle and no longer stressing take longer journeys and so on, this takes time and patience but is absolutly 100% proof, my rottie is now 7 and loves going in the car.xxx good luck.