“He’s gonna throw up!” I yelled three times as I gripped the steering wheel. We had a car sick pup on our hands…
There we were – cruising down Interstate 95, 4 hours into our 7.5 hour road trip when Jaxson started dry heaving heavily between us.
I tried to remain calm, all the while cursing myself for not bringing a towel on this trip. #Ialwayshaveatowel
There is no exit in sight, and traffic is so thick with tracker trailer trucks I dare not pull over on the shoulder and let a dog out.
Thank the Doodle, two miles later I saw an exit.
Coming out of the turn, I took the first parking lot I saw – Bojangles.
I put the car in park, snatched a leash as I leaped out, lassoed Jaxson like a prize steer in a rodeo competition, and got him to pavement with no time to spare.
Who said Mother’s can do it all? #paythatperson
He threw up twice, not really sure why. Breakfast was hours ago, no treats in the car, just one of those things I reckon.
He and Harley tinkled and I gave them some water.
I exhaled and Lee relaxed as Jaxson and Harley stood around taking in the smells coming from the chicken kitchen.
I went inside to use the restroom, stopped and grabbed a two piece and came back outside to find a whole different scene.
Lee had this pensive look on his face. #notgood
At first I thought it was from the sun, but then as I got closer – I noticed Jaxson was barking RALPH again!
Lee motioned his head towards the car – and the sight was awful.
To save you from too much graphic detail, suffice to say, the waterproof car cover saved the seat, but the side door panel and the floor mat weren’t that lucky.
It took a few seconds but I gathered my composure and cleaned up as much as I could with a few napkins.
We noticed a gas station mini-mart across the street.
Lee went in and purchased –
- a roll of paper towels #smart
- a bottle of Armor All car cleaner #brillant
- a 9×12 ft roll of drop cloth #saywhat?
We took our time, did what we had to do and started our journey once again.
We were way behind schedule – but what the doodle!
Lee drove the rest of the way.
Harley sat in the front seat…
Leaving me stuck in the back seat riding next to #projectilevomitJax, fighting with the plastic drop cloth as it stuck to the bottom of my feet…
A sense of humor is a necessity when you have dogs!
PS: Jaxson is fine – we arrived safely – tomorrow the car gets detailed.
PSS: If you’re planning a road-trip this summer, I’d highly recommend adding the drop cloth to your list of things to bring 🙂
This is our contribution in the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.
June 1, 2016
Poor Jaxson! We always have a towel in the car but i will now be adding a roll of paper towels! Thanks for the reminder.
June 1, 2016
You’re welcome – I’d add the drop cloth too #precaution
June 1, 2016
As yes…I sure can relate to this post!! I never travel without a roll of paper towels, plastic tarp, and baby wipes…the scented variety. Almost every time we ride in the car, we have to use one or all of these items. Unfortunately, the girls are not good about riding and nerves get the better of them. It is much harder with big dogs though…having raised german shepherds…I know all too well what you went through. So glad that they both were ok! You are correct…when traveling with dogs…one must have patience!!
June 1, 2016
Jeanne – I am so ready now. Got an emergency bag packed and in the back of the car.
June 1, 2016
I think all of mom’s dogs have “ralphed” in the car at one time or another. We are not car sick, but for some reason just as with humans, we weren’t feeling well and it happened. Only one time was it real bad as Mom was out of town and Trine ralphed all over the place and she had to have things laundered. Poor Jax. Hope he feels better. Make sure the airbag is off if he rides in front.
June 1, 2016
Dogs throwing up is not something I want as a reoccurring event. Hope to never see that again. Air bags are off – but I don’t really like him sitting there.
June 1, 2016
Baby wipes or wet ones. Great for a multitude of things and not just for wiping paws. Hugs to Jax.
June 1, 2016
HA! I know now….
June 1, 2016
This is timely as I’m planning a long road trip with an untested dog when we go to BlogPaws later this month. Thanks for the ideas!
June 1, 2016
Dude! Pack your emergency puke bag – don’t get caught like us! Although this was a real fluke, if you had of ever asked me if this would happen to us – I’d be the first to say no. So = you might want to take heed…. Can’t wait to meet you in AZ.
June 1, 2016
In our family, the pets ride well – the kids are the ones who are prone to being car sick…
June 1, 2016
Oh Lord – don’t remind me. My son threw up on an international flight and I was never so frightened in my life – I thought the other passengers were going to throw me off the plane – while it was in the air.
June 1, 2016
Poor little guy! Yes, a drop cloth is a must! Thankfully our dog doesn’t get car sick, but he HATES riding in the car.
June 1, 2016
Jax loves to ride in cars. So does Harley. I pray whatever caused this to happen NEVER revisits one of our journeys again. #pawscrossed
June 1, 2016
So sorry about the car! I have always been thankful none of my corgis have ever had car sickness.
June 1, 2016
Gonna get some carpet cleaner and give it a good scrub, we cleaned it up really really good at the mini mart but I want to pre-scrub before getting it detailed.
June 1, 2016
Oh my! That’s a good idea to travel with cleanup supplies and towels. The one time that Savanna threw up in the car, I had to go into a fast food restaurant and grab a bunch of napkins to clean it up as best I could.
June 1, 2016
I’ve got the perfect bag to fill and just leave in the trunk. My emergency bag.
June 1, 2016
Poor Jaxson!! Hope he’s feeling better now!! (So glad I don’t have to travel on I95 any more!! 85 and 26 are bad enough!)
The only time any of my girls have been carsick was when Callie was a puppy. We were on the way home from PetSmart puppy obedience class. Poor baby had had a few treats too many before we started out to come home, plus it was hot outside. After that, we walked her around for a few minutes (inside the store) before heading home. Oh! And Kissy got sick in the travel crate when I first brought her home from the breeder.
June 1, 2016
The last leg of the trip – we were stopped because of late night construction. I was dying, I told Lee to ride the shoulder because this was an emergency. Of course he didn’t! But Jax never got sick again. That’s one thing I don’t miss about this area – the dreaded traffic!
June 1, 2016
Have all that and been there done that. Mine have even popped in the car and I have to throw it out on the way
June 1, 2016
Shut the doodle door – are you serious? !!!!!That’s a blog story girlfriend – write it up!
June 1, 2016
yep, roll of paper towels, roll of garbage bags, and baby wipes for both ends.
Do they make Dramamine for dogs for the return trip? No fun for anyone when any creature is carsick.
LeeAnna
June 1, 2016
HA! And let’s not forget the drop cloth 🙂 I’m hoping we’re not going to have this same issue going back.
June 1, 2016
I’m not sure what’s worse, a friend dumping a gallon of paint in her backseat, ON the leather or vomit. Both sound dreadful, but you handled it like a PRO.
Glad Jax is doing better. Sometimes they are just barfy for no bloody reason at all. Mine sometimes do, or if they drink water too quickly and it’s hot out, they gorp it back up again. #Ew
LOVE Harley as passenger, co-pilot, gps navigator. He looks terribly comfy up in the front with Lee. hahaha 🙂
XOX
June 1, 2016
I actually think that was the culprit. He must have leaned on his stomach a little too long, and with the car seat cover preventing him from having his feet flat on the floor placed all his 70 lbs on his chest. Either way, I pray I don’t have to revisit this when we travel back to SC. Yes, he loves to watch the traffic!
June 1, 2016
Oh no! Sick pups are not fun especially in the car. I think I’m going to put a drop cloth in my trunk today just so I don’t forget on future trips!
June 1, 2016
Girl get that drop cloth – I plan on replacing mine next tine I’m in an ACE hardware store.
June 1, 2016
oh noooo!! I’ll spare you any of our gross stories. You’ve been through enough.
June 1, 2016
I’m finding out from the many responses of this blog post that there are a ton of vomit stories floating out there LOL
June 1, 2016
That is definitely no fun at all! I remember when Cricket used to get car sick when she was younger; I swore I could just see her face turning green and knew it was coming. Most of the time we didn’t get pulled over in time!
She doesn’t get sick anymore, but there is still plastic bags, paper towels and old bath towels in my car at all times.
I’m glad Jaxson is feeling OK, and it was just one of those passing things – sure not the best timing though! 🙂
June 1, 2016
I think the most stressful part for me was being so far from home and still so far from my destination. I couldn’t spend the rest of the day at the Bojangles parking lot in the middle of nowhere USA. It was strange because he’s never thrown up before. He’s not acting sick at all, just one of those things I imagine. But your right – his timing made it worse.
June 1, 2016
In other words it’s husbands fault for not bringing a towel BOL. I threw up once and luckily it went all over moms purse and not the car floor
Lily (& Edward)
June 1, 2016
It’s so Doodle Dad’s fault – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it LOL
June 1, 2016
Drop cloth… tarp…. I’ve got both in my car! The pug can also get the heaves on long trips. I’d add air freshener to your list, too. And gum. A stick of gum can make your breath smell good, so you can circle breathe instead of pulling in nasty, vomit-filled air!
Jean from Welcome to the Menagerie
June 1, 2016
The smell wasn’t that bad, probably because the worst of it was outside. But I hear you. I sucked up hand sanitizer around my nose LOL This is so unusual for him, never ever have I known him to vomit anything. I pray I don’t have to see this again.
June 1, 2016
Oh no! Poor baby! And poor YOU!!! I’ve only had a dog throw up in the car once – or, no wait… twice. The first day we brought our beagle puppy home, she puked just as we pulled into the driveway (after about an hour drive…. why do they wait until you’re *almost* home). It seemed she’d had a full meal before we picked her up! And Rita did it once too when I first got her and took her my sister’s, which is an hour away. Same thing…. barfed just as we pulled in to my sister’s. Couldn’t have held it for 1 more min? The really gross part was that I didn’t even know until I went to put her back in the car at the end of the day. So, yeah, it sat there in the hot car all day. LUCKILY, it was only on the back seat, which was covered in towels. #TMI??
June 1, 2016
Not really sure what happened, he’s never gotten sick, not even the 4 hour ride when he was 9 weeks old. I was so prepared – but nothing happened. I pray we don’t revisit this when we return to SC #ugh…
June 1, 2016
Eek. I hope all is well now! Mr. N has never been car sick. *knocks on wood
June 1, 2016
Jaxson’s never gotten sick either – not even as a puppy. Just a fluke I think – he’s fine.
June 1, 2016
Oh no, poor Jaxson. I bet he felt good sitting in the front seat afterwards with some cool air blowing on him. It’s never a good feeling when you hear that sound…especially when you’re getting ready to eat some food, lol!
June 1, 2016
Harley was in the front seat – Jaxson is too big – he’d never fit LOL I lost that chicken feeling… Couldn’t do it 🙁
June 1, 2016
Awww, poor Jaxson. Hope he’s 100% now and you can enjoy yourselves on your trip.
June 1, 2016
Thanks so much Monika – He’s fine, playing and acting silly.
June 1, 2016
Car sick pups are the worst – when we first brought Sherm home he also got car sick and there wasn’t much I could do other than — prepare for the worst and hope over time it would get better. Poor munchkin – I have been there!
June 2, 2016
Prayerfully this was an isolated incident never to rear it’s ugliness ever again #agirlcanwish
June 2, 2016
I think that pets save gross things like throw up and hairballs for when they know you have no means of cleaning it up. My cats (well cat at the moment) hardly ever have hairballs. Maybe it happens a few times per year. However, it seems to happen the moment I forget to pick up paper towel at the grocery store. I’m telling you – they know!
June 2, 2016
I think you’re “spot-on” with that deduction my friend. Why wait for me to get in the middle of nowhere NC to do your dastardly deed? I agree – I think it was a set-up!
June 2, 2016
Poor pup!
June 2, 2016
He’s doing better! I don’t know why it happened, but I doubt he’ll have another episode.
June 2, 2016
We have a lot of experience with car sickness! First, we always have a roll of paper towels in the back seat, which is where you should always sit, because I start frothing at the mouth just going in the garage. When she remembers, mom gives me a half a Pepcid at least a half hour before we leave, that helps a lot, and always on an empty stomach. The vet also gives us Cerenia. Don’t worry, lots of dogs get car sick! Love Dolly
June 2, 2016
Leo struggled the first couple of weeks with us. But Jaxson never did. I think it was the position he was in for 4+ hours He was leaning on the middle console so he could watch the traffic #sillydoodle Something he likes to do when we’re on the road. I think that’s what caused him to get ill. It’s never happened before and I pray it never happens again. I’ve learned my lesson AND I plan to keep paper towels along with a few other supplies in the back of the car.
June 2, 2016
Rodrigo used to get car sick. He grew out of it. We don’t take our dogs on long car rides, so I don’t know if it would come back. He did vomit the night before last so I’ll be adjusting the meals going forward – more duck wings, fewer duck necks. The bones in the duck necks don’t always make their way out of the digestive system so they end up on the flooring.
June 2, 2016
After giving this much thought – I’m convinced this stemmed from the position he was in for more than four hours. His hind legs swinging in the bottom of the car cover like a hammock – while his stomach, chest and sternum were pressing (full weight) on the middle glove box. Never let that happen again!
June 2, 2016
Oh, poor Jax! Poor you too! You definitely need a sense of humor when you have dogs, that’s for sure. You just never know what can happen. I’m glad he’s ok & hope you don’t have that experience again. Better keep that drop cloth handy.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
June 3, 2016
Cathy – I may never ever go anywhere without my new drop cloth friend.