Car travel anxiety in dogs

Car travel anxiety in dogs is a pattern of fear, stress or overexcitement associated with riding in a vehicle, sometimes accompanied by motion sickness.

Affected dogs may resist getting into the car, drool, pant, whine, tremble, pace, vomit or try to escape, and some become anxious as soon as they see the car keys. Contributing factors include negative associations with past trips such as veterinary visits, true motion sickness, which is more common in puppies, and limited early exposure to vehicles. The distinction matters, because nausea and fear are addressed differently.

A veterinarian can help separate motion sickness from anxiety through history and examination and may recommend gradual desensitization, secure restraint and, when appropriate, prescription anti-nausea or anti-anxiety medication. Controlled studies have evaluated cannabidiol in dogs during car travel and reported changes in selected stress measures, with mixed overall findings that do not support a general claim.