Puppies grow out of car sickness about the same time as children grow out of car sickness. Some puppies never grow out of it just as some people remain motion sick for the rest of their lives. However, some puppies do get used to car rides and no longer get ill. There are no guarantees when it comes to dogs and motion sickness. If you can’t handle a dog with motion sickness, then don’t get a dog.
Puppy’s First Car Ride
The time when puppies are usually car sick is during their very first car ride. Their inner ear has never been through the constant changes a car ride provides and it’s hard to adjust to. Your goal is to make the puppy as secure and still as possible during the ride. If the first ride does not produce car sickness, then the puppy will be more eager to take car rides in the future.
If you can’t have someone hold the puppy, then get a crate and make sure is secured. Don’t stick the puppy all by himself in the back seat or have her slide around in a huge cardboard box. All this does is teach the puppy that car rides mean confusion, instability, fear and extreme nausea. The more that puppy jumps around in confusion, the more likely that puppy is going to be car sick.
Ideally, you should have someone holding the puppy in his or her lap. This person should then gently encourage the puppy to lay down and take a nap.
Other Tips
Like training a child to get used to moving vehicles, you can get your puppy used to a moving vehicle by taking short trips first. Make the destination a fun place and not a place the puppy dreads (like the vet). Also, it’s a good idea to make sure the puppy’s stomach is empty during the car ride. Why tempt fate?
After the puppy has thrown up, he or she is going to feel pretty miserable. Some people have been able to feed a puppy or dog a bit of ginger snap or ginger tea in order to help settle the nausea. And, if your puppy or dog refuses it, you can always eat it.
When To Go To The Vet
Although car sickness is normal in a dog, absolute panic is not. Howling or barking for an entire trip is also not normal. These conditions need the attention of a vet. If your dog has always been fine in the car and suddenly becomes car sick, you also should go to the vet.
If your dog is always miserable in the car, then your vet might have motion sicknes medicines that would be safe for canines, including the human medications dimenhydrenate (best known as Dramamine) and diphenhydramimine (best known as Benedryl). Although human medications are given to dogs, the dosage is often far less than for people. Never give a human medication to a dog without first talking to your veterinarian.
References
KISS Guide to Raising a Puppy. Liz Palika. DK Publishing; 2002.
ASPCA Complete Guide to Dogs. Sheldon L. Gerstenfled, VMD. Chronicle Books; 1999.
Pet Place. “Motion Sickness in Dogs (Cars, Boats and Planes).” http://www.petplace.com/dogs/motion-sickness-in-dogs-cars-boats-and-planes/page1.aspx
Author’s personal experience.