Some dogs enjoy car rides with a smile on their faces; however, others can experience motion sickness and a range of other symptoms.
Whether or not you roll the car windows down, your puppy can still have an unpleasant experience if it has motion sickness. Keep an eye out for signs like panting and drooling so you can be prepared to handle the puke.
Younger puppies are more vulnerable to motion sickness than grown-up dogs because their inner ears are responsible for body balance, and coordination is not so developed. However, know that no pup is immune to this problem.
Many a time, stress and anxiety can trigger motion sickness. For instance, a visit to the vet or groomer can be sufficient to drive your puppy into panic mode and make it feel sick. Also, excessive food indulgences before the trip, tummy upsets and gastrointestinal issues can cause motion sickness.
Take your pupper to the nearest vet for a quick examination to rule out potential health conditions. At the same time, consider being equipped with pet insurance so your four-legged baby’s unplanned vet costs are more manageable.
Dog insurance allows you to support your puppy with quality medical care during testing times of health and medical emergencies, which is why you must contemplate purchasing a policy. Meanwhile, read this article to learn some identifying signs of motion sickness and how to treat them.
Signs
Look out for the following symptoms in your pet during a car ride – excessive panting, lip licking, drooling, shaking, whining, restlessness, yawning, and vomiting.
If your furry pet shows any of the signs mentioned above, try to make it feel more comfortable in the car and be fit enough for a peaceful ride.
Treatments
If you are out for a long haul, take sufficient breaks between the trip so your poochie can get out of the car, relax, eat, and drink. Consider traveling during cooler parts of the day, so traveling need not be as stressful for your pet.
It is advisable not to feed your fur kid just before you head out because nausea can worsen when a puppy has a belly full. Provide a meal an hour or two earlier so the food is digested to a certain extent by the time you start the trip.
Limit your puppy’s vision by covering with sheets the sides of its crate or carrier that allow it to watch the scenery and other objects around. This way, your pupper will not be overwhelmed by the passing things. You can even consider putting a cap on your puppy’s head, if that doesn’t stress it out, or fixing sunshades on the windows to block the outside view.
Leave the windows slightly open so fresh air circulates inside your car. This can assure much relief to a pup suffering from heat and suffocation. Make sure you don’t roll the window to the extent where your puppy can hang its head out of it and expose itself to road risks.
Discuss your pet’s motion sickness issue with your vet and seek advice on using medications to curb nausea due to traveling stress. At the same time, consider being prepared with pet insurance so your fur kid has a medical backup at all times.
Dog insurance covers your canine’s testing, treatment, and medications during accidental injuries, sickness, emergencies, and much more, depending on the level of cover chosen. Contemplate purchasing a policy so that getting timely medical care need not be as financially burdening.
