my dog doesn't travel!!! HELP!!

[whitegold]

I have 2 dogs, both spade females, both 7 years old, they are both mixed breed dogs. The one dog is a pomerian cross and she travels very well, but the other one is a dashound mix (sorry about my poor spelling...) and she is a very poor traveler. She willingly goes into the truck, but once she is in she shakes and pants, and pastes her face on the window behind my seat. She does this the whole trip!!! Sometimes she will eventually get sick and get blood in her diarrhea. I have given her baby gravol and that helps to settle her down and put her to sleep but i do wonder about the health implications of doing that.

Any ideas????

[DoubleRR]

Vets recommend children's gravol [also known as dramamine] for long car rides to help those dogs who get car sick. It is actually Dimenhydrinate--the above names are trade names.
I also get car sick in low to the ground cars or if I sit in the back seat. One of my dogs does too--not usually on the highway, but when we slow down and meander through cities and towns. Gravol works well, and is not something I would use to just go to the friends across town etc., but on trips lasting longer than 1/2 hr I do. Suggested dosage is 2 to 4 mg per lb of dog. Not feeding beforehand helps a lot.

[whitegold]

Great.... thanks!!

[growler~GateKeeper]

Have you tried Rescue Remedy?

[Dr Lee]

Growler's idea of Rescue Remedy is a good one. I have many a client who swears by it.

While I have had better success with Rescue Remedy some people like Lickables Travel-Ease which has Chamomile and L-tryptophan in it.

The dramamine option is also good.

For pets that have such severe anxiety that it leads to bloody diarrhea, then you may also want to talk to your veterinarian. Depending upon the dog's breed, age, health status, etc.; there may be some prescription medications that can help. Sometimes sedatives like acepromazine, valium, etc. maybe helpful as well. Also I have many clients start their pet on probiotics to help prevent the diarrhea and may give them a supply of a medication like metronidazole (flagyl) to address any diarrhea/bloody diarrhea while traveling.