My Carsick Canine

We've been having problems with motion sickness. Over the past couple weeks Jedi has thrown up every time we take a car trip that lasts more than 10 minutes. It got so bad that the poor boy didn’t even want to go near the car. This is not good! I researched motion sickness in dogs online. I particularly liked one article -- in case you’re interested. The vomiting is because his inner ear isn’t fully developed and that's messing with his equilibrium. (Curiously, his brothers and sister don’t have this problem. Grrr.) The good news is that he’ll probably outgrow it -- eventually.

I also talked to the vet about Jedi's motion sickness. The vet suggested that we give Jedi Bonine*. I had never heard of this product, so I looked it up. My research confirmed that Bonine was safe for my precious puppy, so I decided to give it a try. This is a once daily chewable tablet that he needs to take at least one hour before travelling. So much for spontaneity. I’m happy to report that the Bonine is working! We’ve taken a few car trips without puking, but Jedi’s still uneasy about getting in the car. I’m hoping that we can remove his apprehension with enough positive experiences. Unfortunately it’s a slow, frustrating process. Do you have any other suggestions? -- K


*According to the article, Bonine is an “extra-label” drug, defined as the medical use of a drug for a purpose, or in a species, not approved “on the label” by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Many human drugs are used in animals in an extra-label manner. See, you learn something new everyday!