You're driving down the road with Fido sitting beside you when you suddenly notice that he's drooling abnormally. It doesn't take long before he starts whining and your enjoyable car ride ceases to be pleasurable. If only you'd remembered to give Fido his Dramamine before you left the house, things would have gone a lot more smoothly.
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About
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Dramamine is commonly given to pets to ease motion sickness. Dramamine, a brand name for the drug Dimenhydrinate, is used to control motion sickness in adults, but is also highly effective in pets. Although not approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it is not uncommon for pet owners to administer the drug to their traveling animals.
Symptoms
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Pets sometimes feel queasy when traveling. Just like humans, pets can feel queasy when traveling, whether it's by car, plane, boat or any other mode. Symptoms of motion sickness in dogs and cats can include excessive drooling, crying out in distress, immobility or acting afraid to move, vomiting, regurgitation, urinating and defecating, according to PetMD.com.
Causes
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Strictly indoor cats may experience motion sickness. Young dogs may experience more motion sickness than adults due to a developing equilibrium and may cease to feel sick while traveling as they mature, according to PetMD.com. Cats can develop motion sickness if they are infrequently removed from their indoor habitat. In both dogs and cats the sickness may also be linked to a past traumatic traveling experience.
Treatment
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Dramamine, or Dimenhydrinate, should be given prior to traveling. Dimenhydrinate comes in both liquid and tablet form, and is given orally 30 to 60 minutes before traveling. Administer the drug with food to minimize side effects. Dimenhydrinate should not be used for four days before skin allergy testing, according to Dr. Race Foster and Dr. Marty Smith, veterinarians who run the website Peteducation.com. Repeat travel may be all that is required to rid your pet of its motion sickness, so allow your dog or cat time to adjust to its traveling environment before speaking with your veterinarian about motion sickness medications. Always consult your veterinarian before giving any medication to your pet.
Side Effects
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Giving your pet Dramamine may make it sleepy. Sedation, dry mouth and an inability to fully empty the bladder are all side effects of Dramamine or any of its generic forms, according to Drs. Foster and Smith. Diarrhea, loss of appetite and vomiting are also possible but are less likely.
Warnings
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Do not use Dramamine or any other form of Dimenhydrinate if your pet is allergic to antihistamines or suffers from prostate disease, stomach or intestinal obstruction, urinary obstruction, hyperthyroidism, seizures or high blood pressure. Animals with certain heart and lung diseases and certain types of glaucoma should not be given Dimenhydrinate. Pet owners with animals suffering from those conditions should speak with their veterinarian to resolve the pet's motion sickness. Nursing and pregnant animals should not be given the drug either.
An overdose of Dimenhydrinate may lead to seizures, lethargy, coma, respiratory depression or death. If you suspect an overdose, call your veterinarian or the National Animal Poison Control Center immediately.
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