Can Dogs Get Sea Sick ?

[forsailbyowner]

One of my parrots gets sick in rough weather. The other who's been sailing since a squab doesn't.

[Drew13440]

Hmm...my brother took a boat home from Montauk, NY, to Brooklyn via the Atlantic Coast some years ago. Small boat, large seas. Got sick. His buddy handed him (my brother, a non-drinker) a very cold, 16 ounce "tall boy" Budweiser. Told him to pound it down in one gulp. One beer, no more, and he was fine the rest of the trip.
Giving alcohol to dogs is cruel, but I'll try the Ginger Snap trick if it comes up again.

[Sailmonkey]

My schnauzer, who's name is Beef, turns into the "beef drape" in any weather at all. I don't know if he's sick or just exceptionally relaxed!!

[stevensc]

Ours got seasick on a fishing trip and threw up. He was a Dachsund so not too big of a mess. when he was feeling better he attacked a flopping fish on the deck and got a hook stuck in his ear.
He loved going fishing and boat riding in spite of all that.
Steve

[ardoin]

My schnauzers get sleepy most of the time. They both got sea sick once on a hard day of sailing. They left their surprise in my bunk but were kind enough to drag the blanket over the mess to hide it.

[Laidback]

Yes ! that's why the saying "Sick as a Dog" was coined

[hellosailor]

"Giving alcohol to dogs is cruel,"
Where do people come up with these ideas? Have you never seen a dog in a pub, enjoying a short beer?

On the other hand, giving alcohol of any kind to someone who is seasick, really IS a cruel joke. Alcohol being widely known as a good way to encourage seasickness!

Deaf "inmates" sounds a bit off-kilter to begin with, but "deafness" is not one disease. If the vestibular system is not functioning, or that information is not reaching the brain, the ear/eye confusion that causes motion sickness simply can't and won't happen, will it? So the quesiton is, are those "inmates" (?!) deaf because they have no vestibular system, they have total nerve damage, they have...?

Would then blind people also not get motion sick, or is the ear's information enough to toss the cookies?

[Astrid]

Would then blind people also not get motion sick, or is the ear's information enough to toss the cookies?

An interesting question. Seasickness appears to be a conflict between the vestibular system of inner ear, which is telling the brain that the environment on a boat is not stable, while the eyes and the rest of the body are providing information that things like the boat structure is because the references wired into the brain are land based where stability is more or less assured. The brain is used to structures being stable as on land so that a boat in motion is misinterpreted as being stable like a house or barn. This causes a conflict with that portion of the brain which is responsible for balance and puts it out of synch with the rest of the body.

Now, a sighted person will have this problem, but a blind person obviously has no visual signals. There are other signals sent by the body which in turn may cause a conflict, and blind people can suffer motion or seasickness like anyone else. In their case, visual signals are obviously not the cause, and I suspect for blind people, other senses such as touch come into play and transmit the erroneous signals to the brain. A blind person would rely more on the feeling of his feet touching the deck, or his hands or body touching a bulkhead or piece of furniture; one might even suppose that a blind person may have more difficulty than a sighted person in this respect.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by Sunspot Baby

Yes. On passages, we give our 60 lb dog 3 Tums. Really seems to help. Give them BEFORE they become sea sick.

George

Would it work for cats? We have 2 and they throw up as soon as we hit the first wake of the day. They're usually fine after that.

Astrid brings up a good point. My cats usually hide under a towel placed on the settees during passages. Maybe they're trying to "blind" themselves.


At anchor in Pt. Ludlow WA,

[Astrid]

I don't know if Tums would work in cats, but I would hesitate to use it as it can cause urinary tract problems. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) has been shown to work at doses of .25-.5mg per pound of weight every 12 hours. However, caution should be exercised and a vet consulted as it can pose problems in cats with a variety of preexisting health problems. It also has a very bitter taste and can cause excessive drooling. As a final note, some cats show side effects to Diphenhydramine that are almost as bad as the motion sickness you are hoping to prevent. An alternative is Pets Alive Easy Travel Solution which contains ginger and is easily administered.

Off hand, though, since you indicate your cats do well after their first bout of nausea, I would really not recommend any medication. they seem to find their sea legs quickly. You might try not feeding them for the first twelve hours out of the marina. That will help prevent nausea and allow them to adjust to the boat's motion without discomfort.

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by Astrid

An interesting question. Seasickness appears to be a conflict between the vestibular system of inner ear, which is telling the brain that the environment on a boat is not stable, while the eyes and the rest of the body are providing information that things like the boat structure is because the references wired into the brain are land based where stability is more or less assured. The brain is used to structures being stable as on land so that a boat in motion is misinterpreted as being stable like a house or barn. This causes a conflict with that portion of the brain which is responsible for balance and puts it out of synch with the rest of the body.
.

This is also supposed to be why babies are "immune" - their vestibular system isn't well developed at first. (Can you imagine how they would feel if it were, before they were able to hold their heads steady!) Then, as they develop and even more as they learn to walk, they get to have that balance and internal sense of how the world should feel, and voila - seasickness.

I've never known a dog on board, but hubby lived aboard with his dad's cats, and they never had a problem.

[Seahunter]

Absolutely. Some more than others. Some sleep it off, some tremble, some salivate and some puke all over the place. Kind of like the rest of the crew.

[captain58sailin]

My dog and I used to share opposite sides of the transom when crossing the bar coming out of the Kenai river headed offshore, we would both do our used car selling imitation "Buuuuuuick!!", and once we got out to Cook Inlet we were much better.

[Islandmike]

Not sure about dogs but my cat gets sick as a dog in rough weather.....

[Astrid]

In respect to sea sickness, cats are pretty much like people. Some have no problems at all, and some have occasional bouts in really rough conditions. Like people, most will get their sea legs and that will be that--until the next sailing trip after being on land again. One thing you can do is arrange a spot for the kitty somewhere near the center of the boat and preferably in the salon if it is amidships. There the motion of the boat will be the least. If the poor feline has a tough time of it, a bit of ginger in the food will help. While I have not had a chance to try it, I have heard that chicken broth may be of help.