Causes

• Car sickness in dogs is caused by their inner ears being over-stimulated, which creates motion sickness. Puppies and younger dogs are susceptible to car sickness because their ears have not fully developed. The part of their inner ear that is used for balance is still growing. Stress can also cause our canine friends to get sick in the car. They might think they are going to their least favorite place: the vet.
  
  

Symptoms

• For humans, it's easy to know when someone is nauseated. They turn pale. But dogs, unfortunately, don't give us that tell-tale sign. So look out for a few of these symptoms: dry heaving, rapid panting, inactivity, listlessness, vomiting, whining, excessive drooling, excessive licking or excessive chewing.
  
  

Before the Car

• If your dog associates a car ride with a trip to the vet, then take him on short drives and allow him to get out and run. It might also be helpful to change cars so he doesn't associate one car with previous bad experiences. Also, get him used to the car by sitting in it with him for brief periods of time. Another way of conditioning him for the car is to get him a special toy that he can play with only on car rides.
  
  If you know he's having trouble keeping his food down on car rides, one of the simplest ways of preventing a vomiting disaster is to reduce the amount of food he will consume prior to the drive---or don't feed at all beforehand.
  
  

During the Ride

• It is important to make his commute as comfortable as possible. Placing a pillow in the back seat for him to lay on could help ease his stress level. Don't allow him to peer out the back glass; have him face forward instead. Additionally, get some air flow in the car. Roll down the window an inch or two
  
  

Treatment

• If any of the conditioning methods don't work, try over-the-counter medication. There are a variety of anti-nausea drugs for dogs. Antihistamines can help reduce drooling and motion sickness. The vet can also prescribe Cerenia to treat and prevent motion sickness, or Phenothiazine, which can calm his nerves and reduce vomiting.