By Hannah Reid, GoPetr contributor. General information only — this article is not a substitute for advice from your own veterinarian, who knows your dog’s history. Every medical claim below links to an authoritative source.
Winter school holidays send thousands of Australian families onto the road with the dog in the back — and for a good number of those dogs, the trip ends with drool on the seat and a puddle they’d rather forget. Car sickness is one of the most common reasons dogs learn to dread the car. The good news: it is usually fixable, and the fix costs very little if you start before your next getaway rather than on the morning of it.
Why dogs get car sick in the first place
There are two separate causes, and telling them apart matters because they need different fixes. In puppies, the parts of the inner ear that control balance are not fully developed, which is why motion sickness is far more common in young dogs and most of them naturally grow out of it by around 12 months of age (VCA Animal Hospitals). In adult dogs, it is usually learned anxiety: if the only car trips a dog ever takes end at the vet, it comes to associate the car itself with stress, and that anxiety brings on nausea (VCA).
Watch for the early signs before the vomiting starts: excessive drooling, repeated lip-licking or lip-smacking, yawning, whining, pacing and restlessness are all common warnings (VCA). Catching these early lets you pull over before things escalate.
| What you see | What it usually means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Drooling, lip-licking, yawning | Early nausea or stress | Pull over, offer a break, shorten the trip |
| Whining, pacing, panting | Travel anxiety building | Calm environment, plan a desensitisation program |
| Vomiting once, then settles | Motion sickness | Withhold food before travel; talk to your vet about anti-nausea options |
| Repeated vomiting, collapse, or a head tilt and circling | Possible vestibular disease or other illness — not simple car sickness | See a vet promptly |
The fix that works: gradual desensitisation
For anxiety-driven car sickness, the most reliable long-term fix is rebuilding a positive association with the car, step by step, over several days or weeks — not one big scary drive (VCA). Only move to the next step once your dog is relaxed at the current one:
- Let your dog explore the parked car with the engine off — treats and praise, then out again.
- Repeat with the engine running but the car stationary.
- Reverse out of the driveway and straight back in.
- Drive to the end of the street and home again.
- Build up gradually to 20–30 minute drives, ideally ending somewhere fun like a park rather than the vet.
A few practical extras help. Skip a large meal in the couple of hours before you travel so the stomach is settled (RSPCA Knowledgebase), keep the cabin cool with fresh airflow, and face your dog forward rather than watching the world rush past the side windows. A dog-appeasing pheromone product such as Adaptil, which is widely sold in Australia and is not a sedative, can take the edge off travel anxiety for some dogs (Adaptil).
When to ask your vet about medication
If desensitisation isn’t enough, or you have a trip locked in and no time to train, there is a proven option. Maropitant — sold as Cerenia — is a prescription anti-nausea medicine considered a first choice for preventing motion-sickness vomiting in dogs, and a single dose lasts around 24 hours (VCA). It is typically given about two hours before travelling. In Australia it is prescription-only, so you’ll need to see your vet first — never give human motion-sickness tablets without veterinary advice, as doses and safety differ. Consult a licensed veterinarian for the right plan for your dog.
Restraint and safety on Australian roads
Whatever the state of your dog’s stomach, keep them restrained. The RSPCA advises securely restraining every dog in the car for their safety and yours, and never leaving a dog unattended in a vehicle — dogs can suffer potentially fatal heat stress quickly, even in mild weather (RSPCA). It’s also the law: an unrestrained animal or a dog on the driver’s lap can attract penalties that run into the thousands of dollars in some states, so a proper crash-tested harness, crate or barrier is worth it (Australian state road-rule summary). Not sure where to start? Use the Australian Veterinary Association’s Find a Vet tool to book a pre-trip check.
Planning a longer getaway? Pair this with our guides to dog-friendly road trips in Australia and managing pet separation anxiety after the school holidays. And if a vet visit is on the cards, it’s worth understanding whether pet insurance is worth it in Australia.
Frequently asked questions
Will my puppy grow out of car sickness?
Most do. Because it’s often linked to an inner ear that isn’t fully developed, many puppies stop getting car sick by around a year old (VCA). Gentle, positive short trips in the meantime help.
Should I feed my dog before a car trip?
Avoid a large meal in the couple of hours beforehand so the stomach is settled; a small snack is usually fine (RSPCA).
Is car sickness ever a sign of something serious?
Occasionally. Repeated vomiting, a head tilt, circling or loss of balance can point to vestibular disease or other illness rather than simple motion sickness, so see a vet if the signs are severe or new in an older dog.
Key takeaways
- Puppies usually outgrow car sickness; adult cases are often learned anxiety.
- Gradual desensitisation over days to weeks is the most reliable long-term fix.
- Skip big meals before travel, keep the cabin cool, and restrain your dog.
- Ask your vet about Cerenia (maropitant) for stubborn cases — prescription-only in Australia.
- Never leave a dog alone in a car; heat stress can be fatal.
