Is Garlic Safe For Dogs? Benefits & Cautions!

As you examine your kitchen, you will see that there are several meal selections available. Yet, while these foods are healthy for humans to consume, a dog's digestive tract is somewhat different.

Garlic is the perfect example of something that your dog cannot consume simply because humans can.

Garlic is toxic to dogs. In fact, feeding your dog too much garlic can be fatal. Because to this, it is advisable to avoid giving your dog any garlic, but there is still more to consider.

Continue reading "Is Garlic Safe for Dogs? Benefits & Cautions!" by BestForPets (bestforpets.org) to discover all you need to know about garlic and dogs.

The 8 Most Important Garlic Safety Tips for Dogs

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1. Garlic Causes Hemolytic Anemia in Dogs

Garlic is toxic to dogs. Garlic is a member of the allium food family, which includes foods containing thiosulfate. Thiosulfate can be broken down and digested by humans without difficulty, however dogs cannot.

Thiosulfate can induce red blood cell destruction and hemolytic anemia in dogs. This is the medical term for an insufficient number of red blood cells. Garlic aggressively kills a dog’s red blood cells, causing more complications.

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2. Signs of Garlic Toxicity

If your dog consumes garlic, they may develop a number of distinct symptoms.

Among the typical symptoms of garlic poisoning in dogs are:

• Anemia
• Pale gums
• Digestive distress
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Boost your heart rate
• Discordant coordination
• Hypersalivation
• increased rate of respiration

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3. How Much Garlic Is Too Much for Dogs?

Despite the fact that you should avoid giving your dog garlic because they can’t break it down and it’s poisonous to them, the truth is that they would have to consume a substantial amount of garlic to have serious side effects.

According to this study, about 15 grams (approximately 2 clovers) of garlic per kilogram of a dog’s body weight is sufficient to cause significant difficulties. So, a 50-pound dog would have to consume around 55 cloves of garlic to get the most obvious symptoms.

But, some dogs are just more sensitive to garlic than others; therefore, it is recommended to avoid giving your dog garlic routinely.

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4. When to Bring Your Dog to the Veterinarian

If your dog consumes more than one clove of garlic, you should consult a veterinarian immediately. With big quantities of garlic, you shouldn’t wait until they begin displaying bad symptoms before taking them to the veterinarian.

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5. Garlic Substitutes

Garlic is rich in nutrients that are useful to your dog, but because it is harmful to them, it is typically not a good idea to offer it to them. Instead, you should choose dog-safe fruits and vegetables to provide them with the necessary nutrients.

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6. Dogs Can’t Eat Garlic Bread

Garlic bread appears to be a snack that dogs absolutely devour. We obtain it due to its delicious flavor, but you must keep it away from your dogs. Garlic bread is frequently flavored with garlic powder, a more concentrated type of garlic. In addition, garlic bread is loaded with fat and butter, both of which are unhealthy for your dog.

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7. Why are certain dog foods formulated with garlic?

With garlic causing so many issues for dogs, it might be puzzling to see it as an ingredient in their dog food. It is not a frequent element in dog food, however it is present in some diets.

This is because garlic is rich in nutritionally beneficial amino acids, sulfur, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins. Garlic in dog food may assist in digestion and is reported to have flea-repelling effects, but additional research is required to confirm these claims.

Bear in mind that dog food undergoes rigorous safety testing before to being sold. As with any potential toxin, “the dose defines the poison”; the fact that your dog’s food contains tiny levels of garlic does not necessarily place them at danger.

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8. Garlic and Fleas

Despite the widespread belief that feeding your dog garlic would help repel fleas, there is no evidence to support this claim. If your dog has a flea problem, you should administer flea treatment and preventative medicines to help reduce the infestation.

These treatments are safe and effective, which cannot be said of feeding your dog garlic on a regular basis.

Conclusion

As can be seen in “Is Garlic Safe for Dogs? Benefits & Cautions!” by BestForPets (bestforpets.org), garlic is not the best method to add some taste to your dog’s food, despite how tempting it may seem. Although your dog may appreciate the flavor, it is a recognized poison.

Thus, if you’re searching for a delightful treat with possible health advantages, consider giving them a favorite vegetable or fruit, or just a protein without any added seasonings.