Received an inquiry from my niece who has a Beagle puppy who gets car sick. What is a good remedy that will not involve medication but a more 'natural' way.
Suggestions would be appreciated.
10 mg pepcid a few hours before, no food. Tell her to take very short trips (like go around the block)
get home and play. Increse the trip a little over time untill she ends up at the drive through at McDonalds, buy him a burger and home they go. It takes a few weeks but if she makes it fun and she is not dreading the trip the dog will soon be jumping in
to go!
Better even than short, is to start putting the dog in the car without the motor running. Do this a couple of days. Then move on to turning on the motor, but not going anywhere. After that, try very short trips & gradually increase them. Don't rush the process. Give each step a few days.
Sometimes it is best if they are in a crate that is covered so they can't see the world outside going by.
Also a natural thing, give it a ginger cookie.
All good suggestions, but my dog threw up in the car every time he went for a ride until he was 8 months old. No matter what I did. Only difference was, the longer the ride, the more he threw up.
Then my dad became gravely ill and asked to see the pup, who he had never met. A 400 mile trip to see my dad cured the car sickness. Took about 300 miles, though. I called the vet crying from the road. Was advised to give Pepto Bismol. No problem on the return trip, and no problems since then.
Different things work for different dogs, and they have to try until they find what works for them.