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Fear from car rides in dogs is most often triggered by association of the car with a negative experience such as a vet but it can also be indicating that your dog dislikes the car because it makes him nauseous. Just like some humans, some dogs have motion sickness and these dogs will not go into the car easily as they equate it with nausea and perhaps also vomiting. And just like in humans, motion sickness in dogs is caused by the brain receiving conflicting information from receptors responsible for detection of movement. During a car ride, your dog's brain receives a signal from the eyes that the body is moving but the inner ear receptors do not detect movement (or vice versa) which is can be manifested by uneasiness, refusing to get into the car, whining, crying, abnormal drooling or/and vomiting.

Motion sickness is most often seen in puppies due to immaturity of the inner ear receptors. As a result, dogs usually overgrow motion sickness but some may have problems with it during adulthood too. And dogs that have not overgrown car sickness will have a hard time getting into the car or openly refuse to do so voluntarily, especially if you normally drive him only to the vet. In this case, you may get a highly anxious dog requiring a complex approach to make car rides easier for both of you. But it can be done.

To help your dog get over anxiety related to association of the car with nausea or/and veterinarian, give him treats when he gets into the car and take him to short trips which do not involve vaccination at the vet. Ignore the whining and avoid both yelling and talking to your dog with a comforting tone because the yelling will worsen the anxiety, while a comforting tone may make him feel that you tolerate it. However, be sure to praise him when he stops whining. Gradually increase the length of trips still and avoid your vet's office for a while. To avoid the mess in your car, put an old blanket or a towel under your dog in case he will vomit. Speaking about vomiting, this is fortunately the easier part of dealing with motion sickness in dogs.

To relieve nausea and reduce the risk of vomiting, do not feed your dog about two hours before you plan to take him for a ride. Give him a treat before or during the ride but be sure not to give him too many because they may trigger or aggravate nausea. Keep your car slightly cooler and well ventilated. Avoid car perfumes because they can make your dog feel even more sick. Make sure that your dog is faced forwards rather than to the side or backwards. Also, give him a toy to distract him and plan frequent breaks to allow him stretch his legs and get some fresh air. Dog motion sickness medications are also an option, especially if you are planning a longer trip. Be sure, however, to ask your veterinarian for approval and advice on which medications to choose.