Motion sickness is defined as the observable discomfort felt by some companion animals (and some people) during transportation on land (by car, bus, train), in air (by airplane) or on sea (by boat, ship, raft). This is a fairly common problem in domestic dogs.Motion sickness is caused by irregular and unfamiliar motion that disturbs the dog’s organs and sensory pathways of balance. Receptors located in a part of the inner ear called the “vestibular apparatus”
There obviously are times when owners need to transport their dogs - whether to the veterinarian, the dog park, doggy daycare, obedience classes, boarding facilities, dog shows or other places away from the home. With the dramatic increase in the number of dog-friendly hotels, parks, beaches, campgrounds and other vacation spots, more and more people are taking their dogs with them when they travel. Whether traveling by car, train, boat or airplane, dogs - like
Motion sickness in our canine companions is fairly common, especially in young dogs or other dogs that have spent little or no time traveling. It is easy to diagnose motion sickness based on history and clinical signs. However, other possible causes of the dog’s symptoms must also be considered.Motion sickness is usually obvious. A typical scenario is when the owner takes her dog on a car ride for one of the first times (bringing it
Successful resolution of motion sickness often requires a combination of pre-travel conditioning and administration of medication. Each dog is unique, and its primary care veterinarian is the best person to assess which of the possible strategies will be best. There may be underlying medical conditions that contribute to a dog’s discomfort during travel or that might affect the choice of medication. When an owner suspects that her dog is having motion sickness, she should discuss