One of the best aromas to smell in the kitchen is roasting garlic. It adds an incredible amount of flavor to any dish, and on top of that, it also has a bunch of great health benefits for humans. And because of that, a lot of people want to know whether or not they can feed garlic to their dogs as well.
Generally, it is advised not to feed a dog anything from the allium family, which includes garlic and all types of onions. This is because they can do damage to a dog’s red blood cells, which can cause anemia, among other complications. That being said, this will largely depend on the quantity of garlic a dog eats.
So, is garlic bad for dogs?
The short answer is yes. According to this Spot & Tango article garlic is poisonous for dogs,
but only if they eat too much. If they eat the residual quantities of garlic, there should be no problem.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at what happens when you feed garlic to a dog, how much garlic is too much, and whether or not you should be feeding garlic to your dog.
Read on to learn more.
Why Isn’t It Advised To Feed Garlic To A Dog?
Most websites and sources out there will advise against feeding garlic to a dog. This is because it is a part of the allium family, and members of the allium family are known to attack a dog’s red blood cells, causing complications such as anemia.
That being said, when it comes to garlic and dogs, it really depends upon how much garlic a dog ingests. Numerous studies have shown that if only given small amounts of garlic, dogs will not develop anemia, so it’s completely fine to feed garlic to a dog, as long as you make sure it isn’t too much, as excessive amounts could lead to health complications.
How Much Garlic Can A Dog Eat?
The answer to this will vary depending on the dog’s size. Dogs between 10lbs-15lbs should only be given half a garlic clove; 15lbs-40lbs dogs can only take in one clove, when they are between 40lbs-70lbs, they can be given up to three, and dogs above 100lbs can be given up to four garlic cloves.
Generally, 0.5-1 oz of garlic per pound of weight on a dog is considered toxic, so make sure that the garlic being fed is below this level.
Benefits Of Feeding Garlic To A Dog
While you now know that it is safe to give garlic to a dog in small doses, the next question is whether there are any benefits to doing this. There are a few benefits associated with feeding garlic to dogs in small doses.
- Garlic can be a flea and tick repellent as they don’t enjoy the taste or scent
- Garlic has natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties that can be beneficial to a dog’s health
- It reduces fat built-up in arteries
- It can potentially enhance a suppressed immune system by boosting certain red blood cells
When Should I Not Feed My Dog Garlic?
While all breeds of dogs can have controlled doses of garlic and reap the health benefits, there are certain dogs that you should not feed garlic at all costs.
Anemic dogs should not have garlic at all, and it goes the same if the dog has an operation coming up. On top of that, if your dog is diagnosed with lupus, make sure it stays away from garlic as much as possible. This is because garlic may cause the immune system to become over-active, which could cause a lot of complications when paired with lupus.
Lastly, puppies should not have garlic as well since they only begin producing new red blood cells at around two months old.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, a long and detailed answer to the question: should you feed garlic to a dog?
The short of it is that you can feed garlic to dogs, but only in small doses. Garlic attacks the red blood cells of dogs, and if they have too much, it can cause health complications like anemia.
But in controlled doses, it can even be beneficial for your pet! So as long as they don’t have underlying conditions and you make sure to weigh them and only give the appropriate amount, there should be no problem in feeding your dog some garlic