Is Garlic Bad for Dogs?
Great question. The answer is we dunno! Probably not to be on the safe side but a lot of contradictory information exists out there from experts and vets from across the nation. Some dog enthusiasts absolutely swear by it – a little dash of garlic each day keeps the fleas away plus its an excellent health supplement and vampires wont come round anytime soon too.
I personally think its the last thing to give my dog, and if I am honest with myself it has to be my gut feeling that his breath will be horrible. (Ha! so this is the point where I pitch our Bowser Breath Herbal Breath Drops – All Natural with Peppermint). No seriously, other people claim its toxins can cause anemia, bleeding, and even death. In looking at the big answer from 50,000 feet up, it would seem that dosage may be the key.
On one blog site¹ the argument goes that garlic boosts the immune system, fights infection and lowers blood fats but in large doses on a regular basis it can cause oxidative damage to red blood cells leading to anemia and death (boy isn’t that old adage I used to hear my mother say all the time – “everything in moderation dear.”)
Dr. Mike Richards, DVM of vetinfo.com² advises that garlic is a member of the onion family, high in sulfur, and given in long term can cause anemic reaction and severe bleeding in dogs, especially small dogs and cats. However, small amounts used in cooking and flea medications do not seem to cause a problem.
Indeed as I read through lots of the available opinions about garlic as bad for your dog, I think I’m seeing an over-arching theme and that is most vets rally around the consensus that garlic in small doses can be used as a secondary treatment to cancer and other ailments but in consistently bog doses over a longer period of time garlic can cause the destruction of red blood cells resulting in potentially life-threatening anemia.
Perhaps most revealing is a study published in November 2000 by the American Journal of Veterinary Research in which four dogs were given measured amounts of garlic and four dogs received none. After only seven days, blood tests on the dogs taking garlic revealed decreased levels in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell values. Heinz body formation, an increase in erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentration, and eccentrocytes were also detected, although none of the dogs developed hemolytic anemia.
Veterinarians conducting the study concluded that garlic has the potential to cause hemolytic anemia and that food containing garlic should not be given to dogs.
So the available wisdom is this, pet owners who want to give their dog garlic should discuss dosage amounts with their veterinarian and whether the benefits are worth the risks. They should be aware of the dangers and keep an eye on the health of the dog. Symptoms to watch for include:
- weakness, lethargy
- discolored urine
- pale or white gums
- rapid breathing
- vomiting
- diarrhea
So does that help us? In a small way I think we’re right back to square one on this one. Yes garlic has some health benefits but just don’t give your dog too much.
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References
¹naturaldoghealthremedies.com
² Is Garlic Good or Bad for Dogs?: Veterinarians Explain Garlic’s Benefits and Dangers http://dog-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/is_garlic_good_or_bad_for_dogs#ixzz0v8pni863
