The causes and symptoms of motion sickness in dogs
In dogs as in humans, motion sickness results from the apparent contradiction of information received by the brain and emanating from vision, the inner ear and muscle receptors.
The travel sickness felt by the dog is then mainly manifested by nausea and vomiting. One in 6 dogs would be confronted with motion sickness, which can make travel very painful for both the animal and its owners! Young dogs are often more prone to car sickness.
Car sickness can also be accentuated by the stress and anxiety that the animal feels when it is taken on a car trip. This stress can come from the fact that the animal has not been positively accustomed to car journeys or that it has associated car journeys with a traumatic or unpleasant event. This can be the case, for example, with dogs that only take the car to go to the vet. Sick dogs in the car also have a very bad time on all journeys, so that their "psychological" discomfort further reinforces their "physical" discomfort, like a vicious circle.
You can recognize a stressed dog in the car by the fact that he is agitated, barks untimely or whines, starts to pant and salivate profusely and yawns very often. His stress can also be the cause of diarrhea or involuntary urination, resulting from the stimulation of his parasympathetic system.
What are the solutions for motion sickness?
If your dog is car sick, there are treatments to relieve it. These treatments must be prescribed to you by your veterinarian.
In addition to these treatments, it is also useful:
- to avoid feeding your dog within 2 hours of a car trip,
- ventilate the passenger compartment regularly when driving and do not put the heating on too high in winter.
To keep your dog as relaxed as possible, make sure:
- to get your dog used to car trips as early and positively as possible,
- to undertake desensitization behavior therapy if your dog is very nervous in the car. Our educator-behaviorist gives you 10 tips to follow to have a calm dog in the car in an article entirely dedicated to this subject! Do not hesitate to be accompanied in this process by a canine behavior professional.
Natural treatment of car sickness in dogs
To relieve a sick dog in the car, there are several natural solutions among:
Phytotherapy
There are various plants with anti-emetic properties such as lemon balm or even ginger. Seek advice from a specialized veterinarian before administering them to your animal in order to avoid any interaction with other medications and to take into account any contraindications.
Essential oils
Lemon and peppermint essential oils can also act against motion sickness in dogs. But again, it is essential to seek advice from a specialized veterinarian before using them in a dog. They are to be avoided in cats, pregnant females and puppies under 3 months.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is safe to use in all dogs. Against motion sickness, it is possible to administer to the dog 3 9CH granules of Cocculus or Tabacum the day before the trip or 3 granules of Cocculus or Tabacum 5CH just before the trip then every 2 hours during the trip.
Flower elixirs
Otherwise called Bach© Flowers, flower essences can also be effective in calming stressed animals during car trips. Sunflower flower essences are particularly suitable for fear in the car. Give 2 to 3 drops to the animal the day before departure (or even the day before) then 1 to 3 times during the day during the journey in the event of a long journey. Be sure to choose elixirs that are alcohol-free, formulated for children or specifically for pets.