Dog Car Sickness: Can Your Pets Get Motion Sickness?

So your little pooch has been really excited about a trip to the dog park, but suddenly a couple of minutes before arriving, they’ve thrown up their breakfast all over your car seats. 

If this is a repeated behavior, then it has nothing to do with the change in your dog kibble or the new treat you’ve added to your doggo’s routine. The main villain of this story is dog car sickness.

This might be the first time for your to hear about dogs dealing with car or motion sickness, just like their humans. If so, no worries, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading for the full breakdown of why motion sickness happens to dogs, the main red flags that your pooch is dealing with motion sickness, and different ways to help your dog get some relief. 

Dog Car Sickness 101: Why Is This Happening?

First thing you need to understand that having your dog become anxious or even nauseous during a car ride is not that uncommon, especially if they’re not used to travel.

Whether your dog is dealing with a lack of conditioning or they’re bombarded by external stimuli which come attached to the nature of sitting still inside a moving vehicle, it’s natural for your dog to become stressed, which can manifest in vomiting or even diarrhea.

Moreover, if you’re the parent of a rescued pup, then they might have experienced traumatic first rides that you’re unaware of, and now associate any car ride with that first stressful event. 

Regardless of the primary cause of motion sickness, you’ll want to help your dog overcome their stress and help them manage their symptoms. After all, there are no escaping trips to the vet and the dog park. 

The Main Signs of Dog Motion Sickness

If you’re worried that there might be other causes or medical reasons behind the vomiting, then you’ll want to take your pup for check-in at the vet. However, if you’re seeing the following signs, it’s most likely just dog travel sickness. 

• Whining
• Excessive drooling
• Yawning
• Smacking or licking lips 
• Vomiting

Now that you’re more familiar with the red flags of your dog suffering from motion sickness, you’ll want to take some action to help them navigate the condition. 

Treatment for Dog Motion Sickness

The core reason behind your dog’s travel sickness is the discomfort they’re experiencing, therefore the key solution will be tied to making the car ride as comfortable as possible.

You can use a designed dog seat belt, which can help decrease the nauseating visual cues, as well as using some health products that tackle motion sickness for dogs. 

A Happy Car Ride for a Happy Dog

We know how heartbreaking it can be to deal with an unhappy dog, and the physical representation of that “unhappiness” is rather unpleasant to deal with. 

However, by taking some proactive steps and talking to your vet, you’ll decrease the suffering and discomfort your dog will be going through. In time, your dog car sickness will become easier to deal with.

And, the more gentle car rides your dog gets to experience, the less likely it is for your dog to throw up. We hope that our little guide has given you some peace of mind.