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Correction:
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An earlier version of this article listed Benadryl as one of the brand names for dimenhydrinate. Benadryl is a brand name for diphenhydramine. This version has been corrected.
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Raylan, my former shepherd mix, had a problem with car rides. He would jump in the back seat, excited for a new adventure, but could only last about 15 minutes before getting up, drooling and vomiting. Within seconds, he would throw up. On long trips, there could be as many as a half-dozen such episodes.
I tried everything: a medication prescribed by my vet specifically for dogs with motion sickness, over-the-counter antihistamines, an anti-nausea medication given to chemotherapy patients, homeopathy, and Chinese herbs. Nothing worked. I always arrived at my destination with a nauseous dog and a load of wet, smelly towels.
Summer is coming, and many people are planning vacations to car-accessible, pet-friendly locations. But for humans whose dogs (or cats) get car sick, these excursions can be an unpleasant ordeal.
“It’s really sad, even traumatic, to watch your pet go through this, especially since they can’t verbally express what’s happening,” said Matthew Lechner, an internal medicine specialist at Veterinary Referral Associates in Gaithersburg, Maryland. “It can be visceral and emotional for both humans and their pets.”
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What causes motion sickness in dogs?
Motion sickness in dogs, as in humans, results from a disruption of the vestibular system, a complex set of structures and neural pathways located in the center of the inner ear that regulate balance and physical orientation. When there is a conflict between certain stimuli—what the eyes see, for example, and what the body feels—balance is disrupted and the vestibular system sends a distress signal to the brain, including its vomiting center.
“A driver almost never gets motion sickness because they’re looking out the window,” says Trisha Dowling, a professor of veterinary clinical pharmacology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Sask. “They’re focusing on the outside and how the world is moving relative to the car, which helps. But a dog’s field of vision is limited to what they see sitting in the car seat. At the same time, their body senses the motion. There’s a dissonance that triggers it.”
Car sickness in dogs most often occurs in puppies because their inner ear structures are not yet fully developed. Many young dogs recover from it. But some, like Raylan, never do. In addition, dogs of any age can become anxious in the car, which can lead to car sickness.
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Can cats get car sickness too?
Yes. Cats also get anxious during car rides. In addition to vomiting, this can lead to urination, defecation and howling. “Cats spend 99 percent of their lives indoors, so a car ride — a trip to the vet, for example — is extremely stressful,” Lechner said. “You’re taking them out of their world.”
Cats usually travel in carriers. Carriers contain vomit and other substances, which keeps the car seat from getting dirty. But you’ll still have to clean your cat and carrier, which can be unpleasant for both you and your cat. (Small dogs can also travel in carriers.)
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How is motion sickness treated in pets?
Do not give your pet anything without consulting your veterinarian. Even over-the-counter medications can cause side effects. These recommendations should only be used as a guideline for your conversations:
Maropitant citrate, brand name Cerenia, is the gold standard for treating motion sickness in dogs. It is a prescription pill for dogs with motion sickness that has been shown in research to be safe and effective. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2007, and a generic version has been available since last year.
Cerenia injection is approved for use in dogs and cats and is often used for chronic vomiting or nausea due to surgery or chemotherapy. It can also be given at the veterinarian’s office before traveling.
The tablets are not approved for cats, although veterinarians prescribe them “off label.” While Cerenia is effective for cats, other medications used for dogs typically are not, Lechner said.
Maropitant citrate works by blocking a neurotransmitter – or chemical messenger – called substance P that is involved in nausea and vomiting, thereby reducing their likelihood.
“Nothing will be as powerful as Cerenia,” Dowling said. “It’s the best thing we have.”
Other options include human medications that can be used for dogs, but you should check with your veterinarian about dosage and other requirements:
– Dimenhydrinate, brand names Dramamine, Benadryl, Gravol, Travtabs, Driminate, Triptone; and Diphenhydramine, brand name Benadryl. This is an antihistamine used to prevent motion sickness and may help dogs, especially those with vestibular disease. However, these medications may cause drowsiness.
– Meclizine hydrochloride. This is another antihistamine and the active ingredient in the less drowsy version of Dramamine. Antihistamines target the balancing center of the inner ear.
– Ondansetron, brand name Zofran. This medication helps prevent nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. It also works by blocking certain substances in the body involved in vomiting.
Consult your veterinarian about what to give your cat. For example, he or she may prescribe an anti-anxiety medication to help relieve your cat’s stress.
Most medications need to be given several hours before departure. Follow the directions on the label or from your veterinarian. Some veterinarians recommend skipping meals, but others suggest a small meal or snack. “Having some food in your stomach helps move things along, so I think a small meal before you leave is better than a complete fast,” Lechner said.
Some people give their dogs ginger biscuits because ginger is known to relieve nausea, but there are no studies showing that it helps, Lechner said. He added that other ingredients in ginger biscuits and products, such as sugar substitutes, could be quite risky.
There are other steps you can take to help your pet:
– Keep the car cool. Dogs often pant when they’re car sick, so air conditioning and ventilation can help. But don’t let your dog stick his head out the window. Flying debris can hurt sensitive eyes – and the dog could jump out.
– Keep your dog in a crate or strapped into the back seat. This is the safest place for him, experts advise.
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What happens when Cerenia or other medications alone don’t work?
Talk to your vet about a combination approach. When individual medications failed to help Raylan, my vet suggested using Cerenia along with the less drowsy version of Dramamine. It worked.
While Cerenia is generally effective, motion sickness in dogs is complicated by different pathways and mechanisms of action, which “is why sometimes a single medication isn’t enough,” said Kate Illing, a veterinarian and researcher at the Dog Aging Project. “Dogs have multiple receptors, neurotransmitters, and nerves that affect nausea and vomiting. To treat them, we try to target one or more of them.”
While Cerenia works on the brain’s vomiting center, antihistamines work on the inner ear’s balance function, a strategy that ultimately proved effective for Raylan. “When Cerenia wasn’t enough, adding an antihistamine was the synergy he needed,” Dowling said.
Bottom line: Don’t give up. “This can be a complicated and often frustrating problem,” Illing said. “But keep at it. And be patient.”
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