As families prepare for holiday travel, many pet owners face a familiar dilemma, should the dog come along? The movies make traveling with a pet look idyllic, but the reality is a lot different! Car sickness can make the journey stressful for both dog and owner. Nearly half of all dogs show at least one sign of motion sickness during car rides. These symptoms are often mistaken for anxiety.
Do You Hear What She’s Saying? Dogs experiencing motion sickness may exhibit behaviors such as excessive lip licking, panting, drooling, whining, yawning, or shaking. They may dry heave or vomit. They may brace their body. It looks like emotional distress. It also looks like physical nausea. While anxiety and nausea can coexist (doesn’t nausea make YOU anxious?), treating the nausea may significantly reduce the overall discomfort and improve your dog’s travel experience.
What Ailment is This? Misinterpreting nausea as anxiety can lead to missed opportunities for effective treatment. Some pet parents may avoid travel altogether due to fear of triggering their dog’s symptoms. Others may attempt behavioral interventions that don’t address the root cause.
To Grandmother’s House We Go. Understanding the physical component of motion sickness opens the door to practical solutions like anti-nausea medications that can make travel more manageable. If your dog struggles with car rides, talk to us about options to control nausea. Products like Cerenia® are designed specifically to prevent vomiting due to motion sickness in dogs, helping them feel more comfortable on the road, and making your car ride better, too.
Comfort and Joy. Whether it’s a quick trip to the pet store or a holiday trek to visit family, your dog deserves to enjoy the ride. Motion sickness doesn’t have to be part of the journey. With the right treatment, you can give your dog comfort—and the kind of joy that only Christmas (okay – and dogs) can give!
PS Explore this topic more by taking the quiz at, “Trouble in the Back Seat“. Note that you have to give your email address, but we found the information helpful – and the quiz a lot of fun!
