7 Ways of Preventing and Treating a Car Sick Dog

Treating a car sick dog requires recognizing the warning signs: yawning, drooling, whining, vomiting, or diarrhea. Car sickness is often caused by the stress of being in a car, rather than the motion of the car.

Here are tips on how to handle car sickness in your pooch:

1. Get your dog comfortable with the car. Begin by just sitting in a parked car with your dog. Allow him to explore the car. Give him treats and praise. Next, start the engine for a few minutes and continue the praise.
2. Start with short drives and gradually work up to longer trips. Make sure you take car rides to places your dog will enjoy, like the park. If you only take your dog on car rides to the Vet, he will associate the car with negative experiences.
3. Avoid feeding your dog for several hours before the car trip.
4. Open the windows a little to get fresh cool air circulating inside.
5. Protect the car with newspapers or old towels. Place in the area where your dog rides.
6. Monitor your dog closely for signs of distress.
7. If your dog's reaction to being in the car is severe, try a motion sickness medication and take him to the vet.

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