Sequoyah German Shepherds
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Last
updated 3/12/10
Managing the
Motion Sick Puppy
In my experience, I have found
that most Shepherd pups love to ride from the time that they are
very little. The motion of the vehicle usually lulls them
to sleep within only a few minutes of travel. Like with
any new experience, sometimes the first time or two of
traveling, they are too excited to settle down immediately, but,
with a little patience, you will find that in most cases, it
doesn't take long.
There are however, some dogs that do not take to travel quite as
readily. Some of them will get nauseated and car sick.
Most puppies gradually grow out of it, but there are things that
can be done to help alleviate that process if this should
happen.
There are 2 main things that
cause car sickness:
-
The motion of the vehicle
-
Anxiety or fear
The Physiology of Motion Sickness
Many dog owners soon realize, usually within five minutes, their
pet has motion sickness (car, boat or airplane). Receptors
in the ear called the vestibular apparatus help an animal
process position and movement. A dog will experience motion
sickness or carsickness if the signals coming in (relayed by the
eighth cranial nerve to the brain) are excessive: Symptoms
include drooling, vomiting and or diarrhea. According to
Pfizer Pharmaceuticals Animal Health market research, estimated
1.2 million dogs experience vomiting each year caused by motion
sickness.
The Basics - De-sensitization!
The Nervous Puppy:
For many puppies, the first time they are in a moving vehicle is
when you bring them home. Obviously this can be associated
with a stressful event. For adult dogs, they may have
learned that going for a car ride is often followed by something
unpleasant, like going to a veterinarian's office.
To help your companion's anxiety, here are some steps that you
can take:
-
First, see if your dog will approach the car willingly or
exhibits signs of anxiety such as licking his lips, yawning,
panting, faltering or trying to pull back on the leash.
If your dog shows signs of fear while approaching the car,
give a few treats while being close to the car or feed them
their dinner near the car. Repeat this over several sessions
until your dog will go into the car willingly. Then, get
your dog used to being in the car without turning it on or
driving. Offer their dinner, a favorite chew toy or
bone to make it rewarding. Repeat this several times
until they are comfortable before moving onto the next step.
-
While in the car, start giving your dog a few treats or put
his food bowl down so he can start eating. Start the
car. Leave it on for just a minute and turn it off.
Repeat this several times, calmly praising your dog when he
shows calm responses. If he seems fearful, end the
session as soon as you can and next time shorten the session
and stop before he becomes anxious. Take your time and
make sure he is relaxed before ending the session and work
up to having the car running for longer periods of time.
-
Once he is used to the car running without any fearful
reactions, give your dog a favorite treat or his dinner,
then back the car to the end of the driveway or a short
distance on the street. Praise him and make sure he
can continue eating. Repetition is the key to success.
The more you do this, the faster your dog will learn that
the car will become a great place for attention, praise and
food.
-
Once your dog seems relaxed, take a short trip around the
block. It will be handy to have someone else in the
car at this point to feed him treats and praise while doing
this. Gradually increase the distance traveled until
your dog is calm no matter how long he's in the car.
Travel to places that are fun for your dog, not just to the
vet or groomer! Go to a dog park, the beach, a
friend's house for a "play date" with their dog.
The Motion Sick Puppy:
Some dogs do suffer from true motion sickness. These dogs feel
better when they can't see out, such as riding in an enclosed
crate. Crates are much easier to clean up than your car
upholstery! Others feel better looking out the window.
In either case, keep the car cool and well-ventilated. You
should try desensitizing the same way as described above,
however, some dogs cannot be conditioned and medication is
necessary. Commonly used medications to help reduce the nausea
associated with motion sickness include diphenhydramine (Benadryl®),
and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine®). These medications are available
without a
prescription but should never be used unless specifically recommended
by a
veterinarian.
Proper dosage and use are crucial to treating and diminishing
the signs of motion sickness.
For
some pets, the motion sickness and anxiety associated with
travel is so severe that sedatives are necessary. Commonly used
sedatives include acepromazine and Alprazolam. These are
available by prescription and should be used with caution.
You may want to talk to your
veterinarian for about advice on other possible medications to
help settle your pup's tummy.
When All Else Fails....
-
Ginger (herb) -- has been known to be
effective to prevent motion sickness in dogs
(especially ginger cookies) and humans.
Ginger snaps work well for medium sized
dogs. Always consult your veterinarian
before giving your dog Ginger. In severe
cases of motion sickness, maybe necessary
during long travel periods of time, a
sedative maybe prescribed by a veterinarian.
-
Benedryl (diphenhydramine) -- helps
prevent excessive drooling by drying the
mouth slightly. You should give it at
least 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to
departure.
-
Dramamine -- helps prevent motion
sickness. The effects of dimenhydrinate are
very similar to those of
diphenhydramine. The main differences
are a lower
potency, and a longer latency. 50 mg dimenhydrinate contains 27.2 mg of
diphenhydramine, so it is less potent at
equal doses. Also, dimenhydrinate must
dissociate into diphenhydramine and its
counterion in the body before it is
active, so it produces effects more slowly
than diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine
is used in Dramamine to prevent
nausea and
emesis; however, the development of the
chemical
meclizine has overtaken its usage
(marketed as "Dramamine II") because
meclizine doesn't produce as much
drowsiness.
AND
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE (AS WELL AS THE ONLY
APPROVED ANTI-MOTION SICKNESS ON THE MARKET
TODAY FOR DOGS ---
-
Cerenia -- In February 2007, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration approved
Cerenia (known generically as maropitant
citrate), manufactured by Pfizer
Incorporated. First known medication to
prevent and treat dogs with acute vomiting,
regardless of causes including motion
sickness. Pfizer researchers and
veterinarians spent seven years to develop
and research, finally receiving FDA approval
for marketing and sale of Cerenia.
During clinical trials involving 577 dogs,
Cerenia was shown to be safe and effective.
This medication treated a wide range of dog
breeds for vomiting, with causes that
included such things as parvovirus,
hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (HGE),
gastrointestinal tumors, infectious
disorders, pancreatitis, chemo, and renal
disease. (During one of the research
studies, support the approval of Cerenia,
ninety-five percent effective in preventing
vomiting undergoing chemotherapeutic
treatment.)
Stephen Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., director
of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine
said: "This approval is good news for many
dog owners whose dogs suffer from motion
sickness and for whom even a small journey
can trigger vomiting."
Cerenia is administered once daily,
either injectable or tablet formulation.
Cerenia is recommended for use in dogs
sixteen weeks of age or older. The
medication is not recommended for dogs used
for breeding, pregnant or lactating bitches,
dogs that have ingested toxins or dogs with
gastrointestinal obstruction. Side effects
observed include: Muscle tremors, excessive
salivation, and vomiting. The medication
starts to work within one hour of
administration. Cerenia is available by
prescription only from veterinarians.
Remember.......
Here are some tips to use when traveling with your pet.
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No food 3 hours prior to traveling
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Make sure your pet has had water before the trip
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Take it slow around curves
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Accelerate and stop slowly
-
Crack the window open to get fresh air
-
Make sure it's not too hot or too cold in the car
-
Keep you pet from looking out the window
S tretch
and Drink --
On
long car trips, stop every hour or so to let the dog run
around and have a drink of water. The exercise will make him
more relaxed and willing to continue the trip.
Travel prepared - pack
cleaning supplies, towels
Cover the car seat/floor with
a sheet or towel
Don't scold your dog - this
will only make him more nervous about traveling
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