How to Overcome Motion Sickness in Puppies

Many puppies experience motion sickness when riding in a car, boat or plane. The cause of motion sickness can be a physical reaction to stimulation of the inner ear (vestibular system). This stimulation causes the puppy to feel unbalanced and nauseous. Motion sickness may also be caused by anxiety due to the stress and excitement. You can take several steps to overcome motion sickness in puppies.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Condition your pet to travel in the car. Take him on short, frequent, trips to places he enjoys. Increase the length of the trips as the puppy exhibits fewer motion sickness symptoms.

2. Feed your dog two hours, or more, prior to travel.

3. Purchase over the counter medications such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), Bonine (meclizine) and Dramanine (dimenhydrinate). Consult your veterinarian for the appropriate dosage for your puppy.

4. Ask your veterinarian for prescription medicines, such as acepromazine and phenobartital, if your puppy has a severe case of motion sickness. These medications are sedatives and extreme caution should be taken when administering them to your puppy. This is especially true if your puppy is traveling in the cargo section of a plane and will be unsupervised during parts of the trip.

5. Consider one of the many natural remedies available. Ginger (zingiber officinalis) minimizes the effects of motion sickness. Entice your dog with ginger snaps or a bowl of ginger tea.
   
   Mint (mentha piperita) is also very effective and can be found in tea and capsule form.
   
   Reduce your dog's anxiety with Kalium phosphate. It is a natural tranquilizer which may help with anxiety induced motion sickness. Find these remedies in health food stores along with homeopathic remedies designed specifically to combat motion sickness.

Tips & Warnings

• Consult your veterinarian before medicating your dog in any way.

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