What is Cerenia?
Cerenia is a type of medication for dogs used to prevent nausea and vomiting; generally, car sickness in dogs.
It is prescribed for dogs with motion sickness and dogs suffering from acute vomiting.
It should be taken by dogs who are over 16 weeks and have precise instructions on how to be taken.
They can only be taken after an hour of not eating and 2 hours before any form of travel if they are administered for motion sickness.
Motion sickness is caused by traveling in any means of transport and is a condition that is manageable with the proper medication in dogs.
Cerenia is a medication that can be taken by dogs in either tablet form or an injectable solution. However, other safer alternatives can be taken in place of Cerenia and are safer.
These alternatives are like CBD oil which is naturally produced; other alternatives to Cerenia could be habits to build up with your dog or calming hers and different ways of relaxing your dog. If that fails, some drugs are used to prevent your dog’s anxiety and nausea.
When it comes to motion sickness and dogs, it could be challenging to tell when your dog feels uncomfortable and how bad they are feeling.
Therefore, it is always advisable to be super cautious when it comes to your furry friend on trips.
Notice the small things and pay attention to any sign of being uncomfortable, such as uneasiness, restlessness, and wanting to leave the car.
It will help you know whether you need to see a vet to get that in control or whether your dog is okay.
What does Cerenia do?
Cerenia is a medication that is prescribed to dogs for motion sickness when using any means of transport.
This medication helps to calm your dog’s anxiety during the trip, reducing nausea and vomiting your dog gets when traveling hence making their journey safer.
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What are the side effects of Cerenia?
Cerenia is a preferable medication for dogs with car sickness mainly, but some extreme side effects come with the medicine.
Here are some of them:
- Your dog may start to drool excessively after taking medicine.
- The medicine may cause your dog to become lethargic ad lower its energy levels.
- Your dog may even start to vomit and, in some cases, diarrhea.
- The medication could make your dog lose its appetite.
- If the dose of Cerenia is given to your dog in the form of an injection, they may experience swelling and pain.
What are the alternatives to Cerenia?
Cerenia is a preferred medication for your dog, especially for motion sickness.
However, there are some other safer alternatives you could try to explore for your dog, especially if the side effects of Cerenia are not manageable for your dog.
Choices also do not have to mean medication; it could be simple things you could do to manage your dog’s motion sickness.
It could be simple tips for before the journey or other types of medication.
Here are some of the alternatives to giving Cerenia to your dog for motion sickness:
1. CBD oil
This alternative is majorly organic and is an excellent alternative to the synthetically made Cerenia.
It is natural and works as a medication to reduce or stop inflammation in your dog’s body.
This is important because most of the stomach problems experienced by your dog are caused by inflammation.
CBD oil reduces the inflammation hence gets rid of the inflammation happening in your dog’s stomach that could be the cause of your dog’s motion sickness.
Once that happens, your dog can have a safe and comfortable ride with very little pain in its abdomen.
2. Practice taking your dog for short drives to condition them to get used to traveling
In this case, it is one of the best ways of conditioning your dog to deal with their anxiety during car rides that usually cause motion sickness.
You cannot force your dog to deal with their stress by scolding or shouting at them, so it is always important to take your time with them.
Starting practice early is also essential with your dog.
If you plan on taking a long trip on the road, it would be advised to start practicing a couple of months for short drives ad see your dog’s reaction.
One could start by taking short fives of around 3 minutes to five minutes.
Make sure to reward your dog after every car ride so that they can associate car rides with a positive response.
Once they start getting used to being in the car, increase the car rides to become longer and reward them all the same even if you have to stop.
The importance of rewarding your dog instead of scolding them makes them associate car rides with pleasant things, thus helping them manage their anxiety.
3. If you are traveling soon, make sure to reduce food intake for your dog or withhold it altogether
This is because once dogs get motion sickness, it could lead to awful nausea and vomiting.
If your dog has not eaten for a couple of hours before the trip, once they feel like vomiting, they will not have much to vomit hence a cleaner ride for you.
4. Use lavender and or pheromones as calming scents
These scents are known to reduce the anxiety in your dog while traveling.
They are best applied to your dog’s beddings. They make your dog comfortable during car rides by managing their stress.
5. If traveling soon, it is good to ensure some things to make your dog comfortable during the trip
Here are some of the things you could do in preparation for the trip for your dog:
- Getting beddings for your dog to travel with that smell like home.
- Slow music to play during car rides for your dog to relax. Soft music will help make your dog more comfortable during the trip.
- Getting your dog carrier could help them to relax. This is also important because carrying an anxious dog during car rides could be dangerous. Why? An anxious dog will not want to sit still and may end up jumping out of windows or even jump onto the front seat while you drive, and that is dangerous for whoever is driving.
6. In the worst-case scenario, it would be referred to get alternative medication for your dog
This is the medication that deals with nausea or anxiety, and it is crucial to go to your vet in advance to get the proper prescription according to your dog’s condition,
Some of the medications that can be prescribed for your dog’s motion sickness are Dramamine and Antivert.
These are the brand names that are sold over the counter.
Some of the medications that can be prescribed for your dog’s anxiety are Xanax and Dyserel.
These are also the brand names for the medicine.
When getting medicine, it is good to know that some drugs will only prevent motion sickness, and the others will only contain anxiety.
Conclusion
There are several alternatives to Cerenia which do not have to be medication.
However, when your dog shows extreme cases, it would be advised for you to go to the vet for some drugs to help with the motion sickness.
