Read This Before Giving Your Dog Dramamine For Nausea!

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Are you wondering if Dramamine is a safe solution for your dog’s nausea and/or vomiting?

You aren’t alone. It’s pretty common for canines to have feelings of motion sickness or unexplained queasiness.

Can I Give My Dog Dramamine?Here’s the deal:

Dramamine works for animals too. In general, the drug can be given to dogs.

With that being said, natural solutions are preferred. Keep reading for everything you need to know!

Dogs Can Take Dramamine

Dimenhydrinate, the active ingredient, can be a quick fix and veterinarians do prescribe it.

Dramamine, just like Benadryl, is fairly safe for dogs when properly dosed. However, side effects can and do occur.

For one, your dog may get overly drowsy. Another concern would be increased sensitivity to the sun.

Dramamine can be very harmful to a pet dog’s pregnancy.

We’ll talk more about adverse effects in a bit. For now let’s turn to dosing…

Dog Dosage And Directions

2-4 milligrams of Dramamine per pound of body weight is OK for most dogs.

A correct dose may require breaking tablets up.

Conservatively provide Dramamine to your dog 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to travel — the time delay will mean they’ll be relaxed upon entering the vehicle.

Avoid administering the product more than 3 times daily!


FYI: Dramamine comes in the original formula, Non-Drowsy Naturals, chewables form as well as a kids version. The non-drowsy kind may contain a bit too much ginger.


Another Dimenhydrinate Use

So it’s widely known that OTC Dramamine can effectively sedate a pet dog. This lethargy, in turn, tends to reduce feelings of motion sickness.

Watch this video:

Interestingly, Dramamine can also treat Vestibular Disease in geriatrics. This idiopathic balance disturbance is often mistaken for a stroke!

Whatever the situation, speak with your vet before giving your dog Dimenhydrinate.

Natural Solutions And Tips

Putting your dog in the car and going nearly nowhere (as a 1st step) could eventually eliminate motion sickness.

Simply lengthen trips, over time, until travel isn’t so traumatic. This technique is much preferred to antiemetics like Dramamine.

For a pet-friendly product, look into calming soft chew treats.

Last but not least, pure ginger is a remedy worth trying because it has properties that can relieve nausea.

An Empty Stomach Helps

Try withholding food for at least 8 hours prior to travel.

The fact is hunger can reduce motion sickness AKA Kinetosis.

Observe how your dog does under different scenarios. Perhaps you can avoid using Dramamine, or something similar like Meclizine, all-together.

Dramamine’s Side Effects

Dimenhydrinate, like all antihistamines, may negatively affect your dog in a variety of ways.

Dramamine, in particular, is known to cause dry mouth and urination difficulty. A loss of appetite, vomiting and/or diarrhea are also not uncommon.

Discontinue Dramamine (AKA Gravol) if it causes your dog problems.

Overdose Warning Signs

Sadly, it is easy to overdose on Dramamine. It happens all the time.

Concerning symptoms include:

  • Seizures
  • Respiratory problems
  • Extreme lethargy
  • Coma

Obviously these all require immediate assistance.

The Bottom Line

Dramamine can be given to your dog for motion sickness or general feelings of nausea.

Of course, it’s always best to consult with your vet first.

Otherwise, be super careful with dosing and familiarize yourself with what could go wrong. Keep a watchful eye on your pet during use.

Alternatively, try natural remedies to manage your dog’s travel uneasiness.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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21 thoughts on “Read This Before Giving Your Dog Dramamine For Nausea!”

  1. I have a 10 year old Black Lab that is beginning to show his age, big time. I believe he had an episode relating to a vestibular disorder which he did overcome. Now he is having bouts with throwing up.

    I have withheld his food and water for 24 hours. I am wondering if Dramamine would help him with his nausea. Otherwise, he is still a happy guy.

  2. What do you suggest for a 6 month old Chihuahua puppy who keeps throwing up? He has bad motion sickness, especially on our 1st long road trip of 50 miles. She weighs 8 pound to 9 pounds.

  3. I have a Schnoodle and we are going on a 6 hour car trip. How much Dramamine will calm him down, 50mgs?

  4. I am wondering how much ginger to give to a 64 pound Basset Hound with terrible motion sickness. She is 4 years old and has suffered from it since she was a pup. Literally the day I brought her home she threw up in the car. We’ve tried short trips but anything over 10 minutes in the car and the drooling begins.

    I’m looking for a solution as the Cerenia I get from the vet is $54 for 4 pills which is only 2.5 doses. I’ve heard you can use Dramamine or some other human motion sickness meds but I haven’t investigated thoroughly for safety.

  5. I have a 2 year old 90 pound purebred German Shepherd. Early this morning he met up with a raccoon. He now has quills in his mouth and some on his chin. I have been able to pull most of them out. However, now he will not let me near him. He has even cut my leg up with his nails.

    I live in the country and not near a vet. Does anyone have any ideas for safely sedating him? I love my little boy so this is so hurting me to have to do this. Is there any liquid that I could put on him that will help to remove the quills?

    1. Hi Sandra. It sounds like he met up with a porcupine as raccoons do not have quills. Check the wikiHow web site for how to remove porcupine quills. It’s very painful to the dog and broken quills can travel through the body. You will need to bring your dog to a vet to avoid possible infection and start on an antibiotic. This happened to my brother’s dog and a terrible life threatening infection followed. Better to be safe than sorry and caught early!

      In terms of sedating him, there is nothing to you can do without causing possible death. Vets have the meds for this. You could give him 1 or 2 Benadryl tablets which would make him drowsy. But it will not help with pain. You can search online for a 24-hour emergency vet nearest to your area. Then call them, ask for advice. My heart goes out to you and your boy. Please call a vet.

    2. You seriously need to get him to a vet. There may be quills you can see and if not removed, will cause infection. Your dog needs antibiotics. Sedation is not a good idea without a vet’s advice, it’s way too dangerous.

  6. We have a 7 pound 4 month old Havanese puppy with extreme car sickness. Even a few mile drive will result in car sickness. Is Dramamine safe for a small puppy?

    1. I have a nearly 6 year old Havanese male that averages 18 pounds plus or minus half a pound each time he goes to the vet. He can go half a day without food before he has to take a ride somewhere. He will still throw up water on his blanket in the car. I started giving a 50mg Dramamine tablet 1 hour before leaving.

      This seemed to do the trick. I take some water for him for the return from the groomer or vet. I used the 3mg rule for body weight which, in our case, is 18 pounds multiplied by 3 for 54mg. The only thing I still have to avoid is speed bumps since they tend to push him over the nausea edge.

  7. What I can give my poor 15 year old doggie who is partially blind and cannot hear any longer? When she walks she is not sure and very unstable. I know they give people Dramamine for vertigo and I wonder if that would help my poor old gal a little.

    1. I agree. Studies have shown ginger to be more effective than Dramamine in dealing with motion sickness. It’s also good for nausea. My dogs and I started taking it for its anti-inflammatory properties. I have no experience with a vision impaired dog, but have read that it’s a good idea not to change the furniture around if you want to increase their confidence. You may want to find out if Lutein supplementation is safe for dogs. A raw or homemade diet may help as well.

    2. Dramamine is essentially a sedative antihistamine. It won’t hurt her but keep in mind this medicine can cause drowsiness and fogginess. See how she responds to it. My old boy just sleeps all day when he has to take Dramamine. He stumbles in and out of the house like he’s drunk. He is better without it but sometimes has terrible inflammation due to histamines from a mast cell tumor.

      I agree not moving things around helps and having the floor well lit helps with my guy. I feel like if he can’t see the floor well, he just stands there sometimes. I’ve been giving him extra Omega-3 (Krill oil and DHA) and 1,000mg of Vitamin C twice per day and spreading treats out through the day to keep his mind active. We all like to look forward to things and he seems more perky, less standing around looking confused.

      My treats are lightly boiled chicken breast but only a few bites at a time throughout the day. Also, check out some info on brain plasticity as it applies to dogs too I think!

  8. My dog is approximately 100 pounds. She’s a 3 year old Golden/Lab. When she goes in the car for a 3 hour trip she throws up. Can I give her Dramamine and how much?

    1. Yes, it is fine to give your dog Dramamine. I have a smaller dog, a Bichon Frise, that weighs about 26 pounds. As a retired Physician Assistant (PA) in the military, I admittedly know very little about animal biology but certain things ring true in all species.

      But, that withstanding, I still went to my vet and spoke to him about my dog’s car sickness and air sickness since he goes everywhere with me. He had no problems with giving him Dramamine 50mg, one dose only. I wouldn’t recommend giving a regular dog any more than that and even less for smaller ones.

      Now, my dog doesn’t like the taste and even after I shoved it right down his throat, he still managed to hack it back up. If he even smells it, he runs for the hills. The only way I could administer it to him was by intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) and found that to be a fight, especially IM, because he hates needles. But, if you’re crafty and sneaky, you can get him with a quick poke. It’s better to do that than have him sick in his cage for 4 to 8 hours.

      Warning! If you do not have medical training then do not do this! Plain and simple! Take your dog to a vet and he will do it for you, assuming he needs a injection. You may injure and even kill your dog if this is not done correctly. It is not worth the risk! Hope that clears things up for you. Good luck.

  9. Can I give my dog something to help her sleep? She has suddenly started barking in the night for no apparent reason and it is disturbing our rest.

    1. My vet had once recommended Benadryl for my dog’s allergies, for being itchy and scratchy in Spring, at much higher doses than we humans take. He also had once been prescribed Xanax, to calm him before thunderstorms, at almost the same dose as humans. Both medications put my dog to sleep, and Benadryl he took for 3 months at a stretch, but please do not continue use for so long without consulting your vet.

      1. We are trying Quercetin. It’s being called natural Benadryl. It has lots of other great properties in addition to being an antihistamine.

    2. The best way for your dog to sleep throughout the night is to make sure they get enough exercise. Does your dog likes to play fetch or tug a war? Do this with them in the evening and this should help them sleep. Some type of exercise will help.

    3. Car sickness with dogs is a tricky one. To make sure it’s not just that he’s nervous, try to take him on short 10-minute drives. If the problem persists contact your vet and ask what medicine they can prescribe. Hopes this helps.

      1. My vet recommended a prescription medication that costs $15 for each pill. It needs to be broken into quarters before I give it to my dogs. I followed the directions exactly and both of my dogs still threw up. I’m going for the baby Dramamine. My dogs can’t be in the car for ten minutes without throwing up.

    4. Try Melatonin! Up to 1mg for a small dog, up to 3mg for a medium and up to 9mg for a large dog. I’ve started my 14 year old Pug on it as per vet orders. He began to go nocturnal and keeping us all awake. He’s deaf and partially blind, could be anxiety or fear at night.

      He’s also having some Spinal Stenosis, could be pain. It could also be a canine cognitive disorder, the start of dementia. Just like in aging humans, “Sundowners Syndrome” hits a nights/day switch.

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