No one can resist the tempting smell of garlic especially whenever fresh food is served in front of us having garnishing of freshly sliced garlic. Garlic is one of the most used herbs in all kinds of cuisines around the world. According to science there are a number of health benefits of garlic for humans. Garlic is not only beneficial for humans but also for pets. A number of pet owners want to know about garlic and they search for Can dogs eat garlic? Here I would like to answer all your queries relating to garlic and pets.
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Is It Safe For Dogs To Eat Garlic?
According to veterinary experts the metabolism of garlic in dogs occurs differently as compared to human beings. As we know that garlic belongs to allium family so onions and garlic belong to the same family and foods of this family contain thiosulfate which is good for human beings but not for dogs.
Do you know that garlic can be toxic for dogs because it results damage to the red blood cells of your pet causing hemolytic anemia. The signs and symptoms of garlic toxicity in dogs include weakness, rapid breathing, jaundice, pale color of mucus membranes and dark colored urine. When your dog eat garlic and show symptoms like gastrointestinal upset such as lack of appetite, abdominal pain, diarrhea, dehydration and depression, it mean he is having garlic toxicity and in this case you need the help of doctor. Many people ask are dogs allergic to garlic or onions and I tell them that it depends on your dog that how he responses to certain types of foods. Some dogs may be allergic to garlic while others may not.
Garlic Toxicity In Dogs:
According to various conducted studies garlic toxicity depends upon the body weight of your dog. Studies show that 20 to 30 grams of garlic per kilogram of body weight is enough to make harmful changes in dog’s blood. As per size of healthy clove of garlic which is available in supermarket, the weight of that garlic clove is 3 to 7 grams. If we consider these standards in our minds then your dog have to eat lots of garlic to get sick. However, there is another aspect of garlic toxicity in dogs and that is garlic sensitivity in various dogs. When a dog is given diet containing proper quantity of garlic on daily basis then it may cause garlic sensitivity in your dog. So how much garlic is toxic to dogs depends on the size and age of your dog.
Recommended Reading: Can Dogs Eat Onions And Not Get Sick?
Many people ask that my dog ate garlic or my puppy ate garlic will he be ok? So if your dog ate little quantity of garlic accidently then don’t worry because your dog will probably be ok. What to do if your dog eats garlic then limit the intake of garlics strictly. However, if you want to give garlic to your dog intentionally then you should take the advice of veterinarian first.
Health Benefits Of Garlic For Dogs:
As we all know that God has not created any useless thing in this world especially the fruits and vegetables are for the well beings of humans as well as pets. Garlic is such miracle herb whose benefits are enormous. It is safe and healthy in every form. Garlic is added to various dog foods and interesting thing to notice is that garlic flakes for dogs are also available in the super market.
When considering the garlic health benefits for dogs we can summarize it into three basic points.
- Garlic has anti-bacterial properties.
- Garlic is used for the prevention of flea and worm control in dogs.
- It also gives digestive support to dogs.
Apart from these garlic for dogs benefits, some pet owners argue that garlic is bad for their dog because it creates certain level of toxicity so you should never include garlic in the diet of your pet. But we should never deprive our pet from any food item unless we are sure of its useful and harmful effects. There are some positive as well as negative aspects of garlic so it is better to discus with your veterinarian before including garlic in the diet of your pet.
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Properties of Garlic:
- Garlic contains high value of amino acids, zinc, sulphur, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C and other B complex vitamins.
- Garlic warms our overall body and improves circulation of blood. Another major property of garlic is help in the process of detoxification.
- It gives support to the beneficial bacteria of body and eliminates the harmful or infectious bacteria. You can use garlic in any season because it is available throughout the year.
- As we know that garlic is high in sulfur and other fructans so it can cause upset stomach and leaky gut. The undigested fructans become the reason of constipation, bloating and gas. Therefore your dog’s stomach should be perfectly ok before feeding garlic to your dog.
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How Garlic helps your Dog?
Many pet lovers ask that is garlic bad for your dog? These properties of garlic are enough to answer all their queries.
- Garlic helps to prevent any kinds of tumors present in the body
- Garlic removes bad cholesterol from the body and decrease overall cholesterol
- It also widens the blood vessels
- It has antifungal, anti-parasitic and antibacterial properties
- It stimulates the lymphatic system of dog to remove extra wastes from the body
- Garlic Helps to Fight Cancer:
Do you know that garlic is good for dogs having any kind of cancer issue with stomach, rectum, colon and lungs? Yes, garlic helps to increase the immunity and enhance the natural killing mechanism of your pet’s body. These natural cells destroy the cancerous cells and other harmful pathogenic bacteria. According to the National Cancer Institute there is strong association between increase intake of garlic and decreased risk of cancers.
Can Dogs Eat Garlic Bread?
Pet owners mostly ask can I feed my dog garlic bread. Garlic bread is the favorite food of kids and adults so it’s naturally that dogs attract towards garlic bread. You must keep this thing in your mind that garlic bread not only contains garlic but there is large amount of oils, butter, herbs, cheese and fats that can interfere with the sensitive stomach of your garlic. So pet owner who says my dog ate garlic bread or my dog ate garlic butter should not be worried because it is not harmful. This kind of bread becomes a high caloric food contain too much unnecessary calories and it offers no health benefits for your dog.
Can I give My Dog Garlic Supplements?
These days’ lots of supplements for pets are available in the market including garlic supplements. The pet owners consider garlic supplement for the prevention of tick or fleas. However, giving garlic supplements for fleas is confusing for most of the pet owners. According to the studies garlic supplements in pets have not produced that positive result. Small dose of supplements can be safe for your pet but giving an incorrect dose of garlic to dogs can be dangerous for them. If you are considering garlic supplements for your pet then it is good idea to discuss in detail with your vet so that he can come up with the best possible advice for your regarding garlic supplements. You can also give simple fresh form of garlic before the flea season. Therefore you must give garlic to your dog in the flea season because it may take weeks for your dog to build natural coat oil preventive against flea.
Garlic Toxicity In Dogs:
Will garlic hurt my dog? Yes if eaten in large amounts. If your dog eats large amount of garlic then it’s better to take the advice of vet. Is garlic and onions poisonous to dogs? Do you know that garlic and onion poisoning can be fatal in dogs and it is a rare phenomenon? A similar question my dog ate onions will he be ok? Your dog may need care to make him feel comfortable. Your veterinarian usually gives intravenous fluids to pet to keep him well hydrated and also give other medicines to prevent the nausea and vomiting. In some rare cases, it may happen that blood transfusions are required. If you want the sound health of your dog so it is better to keep an eye on him and his food habits. Garlic toxicity can become fatal so be aware.
Some more healthy alternatives to garlic for dogs:
If you really want to give healthy treat to your dog then best choices would be fruits with high amount of vitamins and nutrients. You can give apples, carrots, watermelon and strawberries to your dog without any doubt.
Can Dogs Die If They Eat Garlic
As we know that garlic is more concentrated that onion plus it come from allium family that contain allium that is not digestible by dogs and pets. When you ask is it ok for dogs to have garlic then you should note that even small amount of garlic may lead to garlic toxicity. Please note down that there are various factors in dogs on which the level of toxicity depends and that are type of breed of dog, health history of your pet and weight of your pet.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Garlic?
This question is asked by great of dog owners. As we all know that raw garlic has intense flavor and it is more concentrated than raw onion. There its consumption should be limited because it can cause stomach issues for your dog such as poisoning, burning of stomach and other toxicity problems so it’s better to give cooked garlic to your dog. On the other hand can dogs eat fresh garlic means the same concentrated flavor when it is in raw.
Can Dogs Eat Fried Garlic?
People ask can dogs eat food containing garlic. Yes it is always good idea to give garlic in cooked form on healthy fresh meal of your dog. You can also fry the little pieces of garlic and pour on pet’s meal to add yummier flavor to the food and it really becomes a healthy food treat. Roasted garlic little pieces are better as compared to fried ones because they are roasted without oil. Yes, you can give roasted garlic to your dog.
When Garlic Should Not Be Given To Dogs?
The quantities of garlic matter from one dog another. Garlic should be strictly NOT given to such dogs having pre-existing anemic condition or to those dogs having schedule for surgery. It is an appropriate statement for those who ask how bad is garlic for dogs.
Many pet lovers ask this question my puppy ate garlic will he be ok? Well it all depends on the age of puppy. Young puppies before the age of 6 to 8 weeks should not be given garlic because new blood cells are produced after 6 to 8 weeks. According to Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, dogs having autoimmune disease should not be given garlic and their owner should be very careful when it comes to eating giving garlic to your dog with lupus.
Is Garlic Safe For Pregnant Dogs?
As garlic has strong flavor so it may change the taste of breast milk so you should not give garlic to nursing dogs. As far as pregnant dogs are concerned then it is a matter need to be discussed with the veterinary doctor. You should always consult your doctor before giving any kind of medicine, supplements or food to your pregnant dog.
When it comes to the safety of garlic for dogs then you must keep in mind that everything in excess is harmful. Water and salt can kill anyone if given in excess amount. Always feed freshly minced garlic clove to your dog and don’t store it in your plastic jar because it’s dangerous. People say that my dog ate clove of garlic what to do? Always remember that anything fed improperly can be dangerous so a clove does not cause harmful effectives and it always depends on the size of your pet.
Final Verdict:
Although some pet owners argue about the toxic effects of garlic in dogs especially when it is related to denatured hemoglobin. But no one can ignore the universal acceptance of garlic for everyone. Garlic is one such food having enormous health benefits and pets love for garlic cannot be ignored at all. Can Dogs Eat Garlic? This question is answered in detailed in this piece of article.
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