Motion Sickness Travel Pills for Dogs

by Jamie Rhein on

If your dog is prone to getting car sick, there is a FDA approved pill that can help. Cerenia was approved in February as the first ever medication that can prevent a dog’s vomiting from motion sickness. According to Pfizer, the company that makes the drug 1.2 million dogs suffer from car sickness a year. As one of the vets pointed out in this article, dogs don’t throw up in a bag either.

We just took our dog to Cleveland, Ohio for the weekend. This is only a two hour drive on a fairly straight interstate, but according to the FDA Web site, five minutes is enough for some dogs to start feeling punky. If you have a dog that’s prone to getting sick when you travel, this might be a solution. You do need to get a veterinarian’s prescription.

Cerenia, A Motion Sickness Pill for Dogs

by Willy Volk on

Whenever my wife and I go on a road trip, we try to take our dog. We believe he likes the change of scene, and it’s fun to get to spend time with him, since we’re usually at work. Fortunately for us, he’s a great travel companion — aside from the shedding! — but evidently, lots of dogs get car sick.

The owners of those dogs will no doubt celebrate the FDA’s recent decision to approve the use of Cerenia, a pill that prevents vomiting associated with motion sickness in dogs. Interestingly, during the clinical trials, some of the reactions (PDF) dogs suffered from ingesting the pills included hypersalivation, anorexia, flatulence, and vomiting (NOT caused by car sickness).

Depending on the severity of your dog’s motion sickness — and the severity of his flatulence! — you may want to think carefully about Cerenia. Maybe a homeopathic approach would be more appropriate. Or maybe you should just leave your dog at home.

[Photo: Willy Volk]