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The first thing to realize when dealing with car sickness is that in 95% of cases it is stress
related and not motion related. Your pet may relate a car trip with being taken away from its first
home, or trips to the vet or even worse, the kennel. So, it is not surprising that subsequent rides
in a car should evoke very strong mental and subsequent physical trauma on your pet.
Re-program your pet's attitude towards travel in a car.
Find a park about 5-10 minutes from home,
ideally have someone else in the car too, to soothe the dog and distract him from the ride.
Keep him happy all the way to the park. When at the park do all the enjoyable things that
the dog loves, fetch the ball, and chase the frisbee. The stay at the park doesn't need to be
that long.... just as enjoyable as possible. Then drive the dog home soothing him all the way
again and when home make just as much fuss of the dog as you did at the park. Finish the session
with his meal or a treat if time and conditions permit.
Now your pet will now associate car travel with fun times.
Travel on empty.
It's a good idea not to feed your pet six to eight hours before embarking on a
road trip. Having an empty stomach will make him less likely to throw up, and if he does get sick,
there's no food in the stomach, so at least it's easier to clean up. Giving your pet water, however,
won't upset his stomach and may make him more comfortable.
Or put in a quarter-tank. While some pets travel best on an empty stomach, others will feel more
comfortable after eating a small meal. Some pets just need a little food in their stomach to help
keep them from getting sick.
Take frequent rest breaks. While some pets can travel for hours without having problems, others
start getting queasy after a few miles. Get to know your pet's pattern and stop at least every hour
or two to take a quick walk to help your pet get his land-legs back. It's also a good idea to pour
him a little water, since he may not feel like drinking when he's in the car.
Be up-front with him. There's not as much movement in the front of the car as in the back, so
it might help your pet if you let him ride in the front seat, but make sure they are in a doggy
seatbelt or a small kennel that buckles into the seat.
Expand his horizons. Pets, like people, are less likely to get carsick when they can watch
the passing scenery.
Crank down the windows. Fresh air is good for anyone who's feeling a little carsick, including
your dog or cat, but don't open the window enough so he can escape or get his head way out.
Try a motion potion.
Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) -- the same drug people take to ward off car sickness -- also works for pets. Medium to large dogs should be given 25 to 50 milligrams of Dramamine at least an hour before traveling, cats and small dogs should get about 12.5 milligrams. Be sure to check with your vet before giving your pet any medicinal product.
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