Bringing your dog along on your travels can add to the fun and give you peace of mind, but not all dogs are naturally comfortable in a moving vehicle. In fact, car sickness is fairly common among canines. Thankfully, though, there are a few ways in which you can help your pup feel more comfortable while out on the road.

How Do You Know if Your Dog Is Car Sick?

When humans get car sick, we can simply bring it up to those around us and then seek out remedies. Of course, that’s simply not the case for your dog, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for the following signs to know when they’re not feeling so great during a car ride:

• Excessive drooling or panting
• Shaking
• Whining
• Showing signs of anxiousness
• Refusal to move
• Vomiting or diarrhea 

Dogs also yawn when they’re feeling anxious, so don’t assume it just means they’re getting sleepy if you see them yawning during a road trip. They may actually be closer to throwing up than they are to taking a nap.

Why Do Dogs Get Motion Sickness?

Understanding how to prevent and treat your dog’s motion sickness can become much easier when you understand the reasons behind their queasiness in the first place. 

While there’s not necessarily a universal answer to the question, the general consensus around the cause of motion sickness in dogs is overstimulation of their vestibular system, which is located in your dog’s inner ear and primarily responsible for providing your pup with their sense of balance. 

There is a lot of input being fed into your dog’s vestibular system during a car ride, from the rapid motion outside the windows to the shaking and bumping in the vehicle and balance shifting. All of that at once can be overwhelming enough to make them feel nervous, disoriented, or outright nauseous. 

The back seat tends to be bumpier and more likely to overstimulate your pup’s vestibular system, so sometimes, simply bringing them up to the front with you can help a bit. That’s not always the case, though, and you may need to pursue other avenues to get them feeling more comfortable on the road.

Tips to Minimize Car Sickness and Make Car Travel More Enjoyable for Your Dog

Having a pup who suffers from motion sickness can make traveling with them a treacherous experience. Not only is it awful to see your poor dog struggle, but it’s also intensely stressful for you to be worried — and thus distracted — while you’re driving. 

Try not to lose your cool; the following tips should help you and your pup travel with greater comfort from now on:

1. Help Them Become Acclimated

Slow acclimation can help dogs who are known to get car sick overcome the issue. Before you have your pup come with you on a long drive, make sure to give them some shorter rides in the vehicle so that they’re comfortable with it when it’s time for the big road trip. 

2. Secure Them With a Harness or Doggie Seat Belt

Helping your dog stay secure in one spot can prevent the overstimulation of the vestibular system that leads to car sickness. Not only that, but it can help to keep their eyes off of the world flashing by outside the windows.

3. Open the Windows a Bit

We’ve all enjoyed the sight of a dog with their head hung out a car window and their tongue waving in the breeze, but interestingly enough, that may not have been purely recreational for the pup: The fresh air and equalized air pressure that comes with an opened window can reduce motion sickness symptoms.

4. Bring a Comfort Item

On top of the vestibular overstimulation, there’s also a sense of nervousness and unease that comes from the unfamiliar and uncomfortable experience of riding in a car for a dog. Help them feel more at ease by bringing along a favorite toy of theirs or a shirt that smells like home.

5. Don’t Feed Them Before a Car Ride

Not only will an empty stomach help prevent nausea, but it will also help to prevent a big awful mess should your pup fail to overcome the urge.

6. Give Them Calming Supplements

There are many ways to help your dog feel calmer and more comfortable in the car, and some of them are all-natural. Lavender, ginger, and valerian root are three great examples, but just make sure you speak to your vet first before giving your dog any.

7. Get Them Checked for an Inner Ear Infection

Your pal’s motion sickness may be the result of an ear infection. If that’s the case, your vet can help them get the treatment they need, so make sure to reach out to them.

8. Give Them Medication

If nothing else on this list seems to be working, then there are various medications that you can try out which may do the trick. Reach out to your vet about things like anti-anxiety and anti-nausea meds.

Dog Motion Sickness Medications

Various medications that may be able to help your dog feel calmer and more comfortable during car rides include the following:

Maropitant

Designed to prevent dogs from vomiting due to motion sickness, maropitant is considered safe and highly effective, and most dogs over eight weeks old should be able to benefit from it.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines, like Dramamine and Benadryl, can both be effective at treating motion sickness in dogs, but they may have the unwanted side effect of making your pup drowsy.

Anti-Anxiety Meds

Your vet may prescribe anti-anxiety medications, such as trazodone or alprazolam, to help your dog feel more relaxed in the car.

Traveling With Your Dog Doesn’t Need to Be a Nightmare

With the tips listed above, you should be able to help your dog become a great passenger on drives of all lengths. It’s always important to speak with your vet about your dog’s motion sickness and any potential treatments you’re considering, and if you decide they would be better off staying behind, then Wag Hotels can provide them with the 24/7 individualized care they need.