Garlic for Dogs
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GARLIC FOR DOGS
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[YEA] 10/14/2009: Ben from Southern Pines, Nc: "Garlic Oil: I give my 130lb shepherd/dane 3 tablets 2 times a day and when I ran out the fleas where horrible, he had sores and all. started back on the regimene and within 3 days a drastic improvement"
Replies[YEA] 02/19/2012: Pj from Columbus, Texas replies: "We give our dogs the Brewers Yeast and Garlic pills found at pet stores. They help with dandruff and give them wonderful coats and keep the fleas away. At first I crushed them and mixed them with food, but now I just drop the tablets in the food and they eat them right up. It has worked very well for our dogs and I'm not concerned at all about the garlic. I haven't found much that says it's bad, other than that link futher up in this thread, and it's science seemed way off."
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[YEA] 09/29/2009: Heath from Edmond, Ok: "We recently rescued 2 mini schnauzers...however, they had worms!! At first we didnt have money for worm treatment, so we decided to try garlic. After a few days the worms seemed to be disappearing (of course w worms leaving, means bloody poddy, gross but at least theyre leaving!) So this treatment works WONDERS on dogs, probably wouldnt try on cats though. The only side effects seem to be: bad garlic breath (naturally!), and it seems to come through thier coat just a little bit and i can smell it on my hands after petting them...but this garlic treatment definetly works!!! i cut up a small piece of clove and put it in with thier dog food, add a little bit of dry oats (to thicken up thier stool) and a couple little spoons full of gravy and they eat it right up!!"
Replies09/20/2010: Randall from Midlothian, Texas replies: "The feedback garlic/dogs sounds great. This is Summers 2nd day on garlic cloves. Her coat is not as smooth as befor, little rough. She is a 4mo. Boxador groovy dog! So after 5 days seems to be the amount of time for dosages, of course I check her poop for worms going, but today was kinda wierd was when I looked at her poo I seen some thing flat an I looked again an said WHAT she passed a penny an it was tails up lol"
[YEA] 10/27/2011: Angel from Chicago Suburbs, Illinois replies: "I have 2 handsome lab/pit boys (60lbs and 85lbs). I recently became unemployed and cannot think of parting with them. After all, they are family. So I am forced to figure out how to care for them without the expense of a vet $35-50 for one visit, and some vets charge for the extra dog. You still have to add cost of lab work and prescriptions). I tried fresh garlic - less than 2 (crushed) cloves each for three days, then stopped. Eventually, the smaller of the two expelled a large white worm. My other dog was only given it as a precaution. Neither had any reaction so I plan to resort to this only as needed for now.A close friend of mine with the same breed of dogs recently went raw, and their health is improved tremendously. I plan this for mine when I am financially stable again.
Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade is also good. You can give it orally, massage it into their hair and spread it in or outside your home for fleas and ticks.
I was also recently in fear of one having heartworm but this wasn't the case. However, I found out that they are given arsenic by the vet for heartworm and have to be monitored extremely closely for over-activity because of the arsenic. How fearful!! Would you actually think this is better just because its through a vet? They even warn that chances of the treatment are risky 50/50 (life or death). Nah, I don't think so.
Dogs, like many other creatures are natural scavengers. If they didn't have owners like us, this is how they'd eat to survive. Just think of what they often take the chance of ingesting. They don't have the understanding of what's good or bad for their health. Likely, they eat it just because it smells good and they are hungry. So knowing this, I can feel a somewhat ok to try something as long as it isn't too farfetched.
I have to agree with many others, in that anything in moderation should not be deadly. So far, in each of the negative responses I've read, the pet was dispensed an unusual form, or an absolutely excessive amount, or there were other questionable factors that couldve possibly been the cause.
In knowing your pet and its general health, you should feel confident that you can make some choices for them yourself... after all, you do it each day when you feed them the food you've chosen for them (and all foods arent necessarily the best).
Good luck to all and God bless everyone for being such caring pet owners."
12/24/2011: Miriam from Springfield, Il replies: "I have been cooking for my dogs since 1992, I've always had large dogs, huskies, shepherds, and a lab mix. I feed them garlic whole grain pasta 2-3 times a week. They have all been healthy. My lab mix developed a heart condition later in life, but lived until 15. Currently I have German shepherd whose 11 and a husky who's 7. They have had garlic pasta since they were puppies and have only had fleas when I rescued the shepherd from the previous owners."
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[QUESTION] 08/30/2009: Barb C from Rolla, Mo, USA: "I have been wanting to try the garlic for my dogs. My husband picked up galic oil from the health food store today. Is it okay to use garlic oil? And if so how much to put on there food or give orally??? The information would be greatly appreaciated!! Thank you"
Replies[YEA] 09/29/2011: Sarah from Chicago, Illinois replies: "After my Lab/shep mix died, I was a mess and found out I was killing my best friend slowly. sob.I found out too late about Fresh garlic and wheat free dog foods .
Over vaccinating dogs = renal failure. Horrible dog food= renal failure.
Frontline Heartgaurd= renal failure.
My surviving dog is a shep/husky and is thriving on a clove of minced garlic mixed into wheat-free dog food, then she gets REAL people food in the form of 'Leftovers': Mashed potatoes, Asparagus, spinach etc...
The fresh garlic clove once every 2 days 1TBLS-ACV (apple cider vinegar) in water bowel has saved me so much money and pain.
My dog is THRIVING on garlic and a bit of ACV. No more scratching."
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[QUESTION] 08/17/2009: Melanie from Melbourne, Fl: "I have an 11-12 lb, almost 2 year old Shih Tzu and would like to give her fresh garlic for fleas. What would be the amount I should give her. 1 Clove sounds like a lot for such a small dog. Any recommendations? Thanks!"
Replies08/20/2009: Kiki2007 from Morehead, Ky, USA replies: "Could someone please list the amount of garlic recommended for the weight of the dog, ie 1 clove per x amount of weight. I have a Great Pyr at 120 pounds and a mixed shepard breed at 45 pounds. What would be correct amount and how often. Thanks!! I LOVE this site!!!"
03/12/2010: Gina from Las Vegas, Nv replies: "You say that you gave your dog Brewers Yeast tablets with Garlic?? Well that is where you went wrong because yeast isn't good for your dog."
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[NAY] 08/03/2009: Barb from Oxford, Ohio: "I used to give my dogs Brewers Yeast tablets with Garlic and 2 of the dogs ended up with anemia. The one dog passed away from it and the other dog was lucky enough to survive through it.
As far as my experience with giving dogs garlic, I would NEVER reccomend that anyone give their dogs garlic. The vet that owns the animal hospital that I took both of my anemic dogs to said that it was unheard of for someone to have 2 dogs become anemic shortly one right after another. Now I realize that giving the dogs so many garlic pills for fleas daily may have contributed to their medical problem. I have always regretted giving my dogs these pills and wish I knew then what I know now. My one dog may still be alive if I did.
Thanks,
Barb"
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[NAY] 07/24/2009: Jennifer from Bourbonnais, IL: "My adult boxer ate two-thirds of a bag of treats made in part with garlic powder that were accidentally left on the counter and ended up in the ER with blood in his lungs and around his heart. He was having trouble breathing and was coughing and spitting up blood. He has runny stools, as well, and is (was - he's getting better) very lethargic. When first in the ER, it was believed his condition was some type of pulmonary edema until they began questioning whether he had gotten into any plant fertilizer, mouse poison, weed killer, garlic, onions. Bingo! Garlic flavored treats with garlic powder. In small doses, ie., one treat a day, two a day I'm sure it's fine, but the several ounces he ate could have killed him. We will from this point forward always check ingredients on all treats we give our dog to ensure garlic/onion and associated powders are not included. It concerns me that online I'm reading that so many people give their dogs garlic and companies sell products that contain garlic. We won't take that chance again."
Replies08/18/2009: Leeola23 from Owosso, Michigan, USA replies: "Large quantities of Garlic can be harmful to you pet, but in MODERATION they should be fine. Owners should responsible enough to keep their pet's treats or anything that could be poisonous out of reach. It's just like any other thing in this world- EG; calcium is good for us, but too much can lead to calcium deposits on our bones. Too much of anything can be harmful. Garlic can be beneficial to a dog.
How come so many people believe garlic is bad for dogs? -Outside of the fact that they are related to the onion which is harmful to pets. Anywhere else online you say that you give your dog garlic and give you death threats. What's with all the misinformed people?"
[YEA] 08/18/2009: Jocelyn from London, UK replies: "Many false posts on the internet about the supposed deadly side effects of garlic for dogs. It seems quite obvious to me that the companies that sell the flea medication formulas started the rumors. As always, the internet feeds false information like an insipid virus when it is copied from one web site to another without any real research done on the subject. Hopefully websites like this one prove that garlic in moderation is safe for dogs AND a great healing tool. I have used garlic for many years on my canines and none of them have ever experienced any (and I mean ANY) side effects."
06/13/2010: Allison from Dallas, Tx replies: "I agree about the companies that sell the flea meds spreading the rumors .If anyone that reads this would do me (and future pets and their owners) a favor and spread this news like a disease! Due to being unemployed at the moment and the fleas in Texas already out of control even after 3 good winter freezes I resorted to an "over the counter spot on" flea treatment for my 2 dogs. I won't mention brand partly because you can't on this site but mainly because THEY ARE ALL BAD! 1 day after applying this treatment to both my 8 lb chihuahua and my 100 lb Akita the Akita started acting lethargic.Within 3 hrs of me noticing her acting a little funny I could not get her to stand, eat, drink and she seemed to be drifting out of consciousness. I knew I needed to get her to the vet but I couldn't lift her and I live alone. It was 5:00 a.m. and I couldn't find anyone awake. Called the local fire station they refused to help. Finally an hour later my boyfriend woke up and I rousted my neighbor.They had to carry my baby out on a blanket.When we arrived at the emergency vet they immediately put her on oxygen and fluids. When I told them her symptoms they asked if I had applied any over the counter flea meds to her. I hadn't even thought of that being the problem. I was horrified! Within minutes I was told there was little hope that she would live. I was hysterical but pulled myself together enough to go lie with her on the floor of the E.R. and hug her and apologize to her for forcing her to sit still as I applied the stuff that would kill her. I held her as they put her to sleep. I hugged her until her heart stopped beating. I weep as I'm writing this as it happened just a week ago.She was a 3 yr old beautiful, sweet, smart, strong and loyal 100 lb Akita .I nursed her through Parvo at 8 weeks old. She was a fighter and this poison in a tube being sold everywhere snuffed out her life too soon. Tell everyone you know this stuff is HORRIBLE! I am so lucky it didn't kill my other dog. When I returned from the vet I washed him like 4 times much to his dismay. Needless to say I am on the hunt for flea treatments that work without risking your dogs health.I am terrified to use anything now. Thanks in advance for taking time to read this. Allison"
08/07/2011: Susan from Montesano, Wa. Usa replies: "I have 2 one year old Shih-Tzus. They both have the Shih-Tzu skin problems. I used to like giving garlic to the dogs but was told it was bad for them. Now I am totally confused. How do you give the dogs garlic without them spitting it out?? I mixed garlic powder in their rice while I cook it. I have seen garlic pills. Can they have those?? They are in the vitamin isle at the store. How do you decide how much they can have. Both of my boys are around 11 pounds. My poor bebies are going nuts with them on them. We have used bathes, Bio-Spot (which was useless) Baking soda bathes and now we are seeing them run and hide even if we go to the bathroom for our own use. If garlic is safe then I want to use that. They are our babies and we hate seeing them so agitated. What amount is good? Why not powder?? Isn't that just dried garlic?? The capsules?? How much is good for them? Thanks."
[YEA] 08/09/2011: Vikas from Bangalore, India replies: "After reading all the comments I got confused weather to feed my fod garlic or not. So I decide to call my VET and he told me that I can feed him 2-3 cloves in his food daily. Its not at all harmful to dogs."
08/10/2011: Anthony from Gainesville, Florida replies: "The same japanese scientists who learned that "garlic" damages canine blood cells also claim it is positive for cardiac and immune health.What damages cells is not thiosulphate but a disulfide that is part of thiosulphate.
The missing enzyme in dogs is g6pd and it neutralizes the disulfide.
Guess what - about 1 in 12 humans have the same problem (me for one). Garlic does the same to us as it does to dogs. In my case it causes me to feel crappy if I eat too much. G6pd deficiency is one of the most common deficiencies among humans.
Dogs have no g6pd so disulfide damages the blood cells and they are eliminated by the spleen. The bone marrow replaces these cells. If you feed the dog too much disulfide and it injures more blood cells than the bone marrow can replace, anemia results.
This disulfide by-product of thiosulphate is an "oxidant" and "anti-oxidants" will neutralize them just like g6pd does. Stuff like vitamin E are anti-oxidants so if you include them in the dog diet they should prevent harm from disulfide.
Just so you know I only use the word "vet" because it is easier to say than "unlicensed taxidermist" - which in my opinion is what most vets are.
Further I am not a scientist - I learned this stuff just researching on the net.
You should do the same.
So I think the best thing is to make sure the dog gets anti-oxidants (either in food or a supplement) and start out with VERY SMALL doses of garlic. Increase it little by little and see if the dog tolerates it okay. If the dog shows any signs of trouble with a small dose STOP.
It takes a few days for disulfide to damage blood cells, so unless the dog has some kind of other problem it shouldn't harm them right away - like stories I've heard of a dog eating some garlic and getting sick an hour later.
Like I said I have a g6pd deficiency - I don't like raw or cooked onion because they POISON me - but my mother MADE me eat onion when I was a kid. If your dog doesn't like garlic BE CAREFUL. Onion tasted vile to me when I was kid so if garlic repels your dog be careful.
One of my dogs had a hemorrhage and his tongue turned white before he died - you can tell if a dog is anemic by checking the color of the tongue.
Don't take my (or anyone else's) word for it - do your own research."
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[YEA] 07/19/2009: Lilly from Margate, FL: "Garlic (__________) cured a bad infection in my dog, 2 capsules at night the infection and swelling was gone by morning. I used the ____ garlic supplement and contunue to give it to her daily. She is a 65lb pit bull that I use to think was allergic to fleas but since she is now flea free, she continues to scratch herself w/her back legs till she tears open the skin, I have an e-collar on her to keep her from chewing holes in her skin but now she uses her back feet and did considerable damage, her neck was dripping blood w/a huge knot the size of an avacado it was so infected I almost took her to the emergency pet hospital but decided to clean it up w/peroxide and neem oil then give her 2 capsules of the ___ garlic extract instead and glad I did because the infection and swelling was gone by morning, I continue to give it to her and even give her fresh garlic when I have it but it has not had any ill effects on her and she does not smell or have foul breath, she scratches lightly every now and again but not to the effect that she was so I will try to take the e-collar off her and see how she does, I also use the neem oil as a flea repellant, it must be working, her bald spots are filling in again."
Replies05/29/2010: Tye from El Dorado, Ca replies: "I would look into the ingredients in your dogs food. It sounds like a food allergy to me. A lot of dogs are allergic to the different grains that are put into commercial dog foods.."
[YEA] 10/25/2010: Lyn from San Diego, Ca replies: "My dog suffered from food allergies, scratching, loose stool, and anal glands which needed to be regularly expressed were some of the symptoms. I finally found a holistic vet who got me to put her on a raw food diet and give her enzymes to ease the transition and sure enough she is no longer scratching, her stool is normal and we have not needed to get her anal glands expressed! I would highly recommend this for all dogs who suffer from food allergies!"
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[YEA] 07/15/2009: Ann from Chapel Hill, NC: "Garlic has been great for my 10 lb., 4 1/2 yr. old Shih Tzu/Poodle mix. I rescued Charlie nearly two years ago. When originally rescued by the rescue group, he was covered in oozing, bleeding hot spots. The poor little guy is highly allergic to flea bites and has a host of allergy problems. The crap on the market that passes for anti-flea and tick medicine that you place between the dog's shoulder blades was costing me a fortune; I applied the medication twice per month and he would have a flea on him 2-3 days later. He was on prednisone to relieve the horrible itching and scratching. He really suffered (and so did I, because I couldn't figure out what to do to help him). In March, I started feeding him one clove of garlic in his daily, evening meal (minced through a garlic press and stirred into his dog food). It's mid July and my sweetie has had no fleas or horrible scratching problems. Okay, he still scratches occasionally (like I said, he has plenty of allergy problems), but believe me, he doesn't have a hot spot on him and he is one healthy and happy dog.
Charlie also had very highly-concentrated, yellow urine (doctor tests him regularly and has found no problem) - he said some dogs have stronger smelling urine than others. Charlie's urine was really strong. After 4 1/2 months of being on garlic, Charlie's urine no longer has that foul odor to it. AMAZING!"
Replies04/30/2011: Jennieja from Prestatyn, Denbighshire replies: "This is exactly my retrievers problem. I would adore one of her pups but cos of allergies I was thinking we wouldn't be able to breed her as when pregnant she could have the prednisolone. And I hate to think of how uncomfortable she would be. I was thinking about rubbing a garlic paste on her tummy but now thinking of the glove."
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[QUESTION] 06/12/2009: Eibbed from St Louis, MO: "I have two dogs. A Black Lab (115 lbs) and a Rhodesian Ridgeback Boxer (55 lbs). I have been reading about giving the dogs garlic protection from fleas, ticks and mosquitos. Can I give them garlic pills rather than garlic? They are very picky eaters and I know they won't like the garlic in their food. If I give them the pills, what would the dosage be? How often would I give them the pills? What would be the best pills to buy? I use the orderless garlic softgels (10mg, equivalent to 1000mg of fresh garlic. My friend gives her lab 300mg (1 X daily) Kyolic Garlic. Can I use these? I do not want to use Frontline or Advantage for the fleas and I have not heard a lot of good things regarding Heart Guard for heartworms. I try to stay away from all the chemicals I can for myself and would prefer to do the same for my dogs. (I also have a twenty pound cat, too, that showed up at my door one day. Can I give her garlic too?) So any advise anyone would have regarding garlic or anything else natural would be appreciated. Thank you!"
Replies[YEA] 08/23/2009: Dee from Houston, Tx replies: "I give my 95 lb. Golden Retriever a full teaspoon of minced garlic in his food every morning. I have only seen 1 tick on him that was not yet into his skin, but only crawling on his fur. I also do Frontline Plus for flea prevention, but in Houston, nothing ever dies. The vet says he is very healthy. I found him as a stray and back then he was coated with fleas and ticks. Not anymore, and I believe it's due to the garlic!"
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[QUESTION] 06/09/2009: Tommie from Phoenix, Arizona: "I just discovered that my 160 lb rottie/chow mix has ticks! I've always heard that garlic will keep them from getting worms, and it only makes sense, that ticks would not like the flavor, either. The products like Frontline, etc. are so expensive! I am going to start putting garlic powder in his food. I found that after he got neutered, and had to take pain pills, that if I put the pill inside a big dollop of peanut butter, I had no problem getting him to take the pills. I think I'll try it with fresh garlic, I cannot bare to live with gross ticks! I've had him for 6 years, and we have never had fleas or ticks, I think they must be coming from my new neighbor's dogs. I also bought some organic flea/tick dip, I'm going to give that a try, too. Has anyone had success with fresh garlic to keep ticks off their dog?"
Replies
06/08/2011: Angie from Adelaide, South Australia replies: "I had a beautiful Samoyed dog for seven years from a pup. I routinely added finely chopped fresh garlic to her food with the objective of naturally preventing intestinal parasites and maintaining her good health. I fed her kangaroo mince, with added vitamin/mineral supplement, olive oil, grated veges & 1-2 cloves of fine chopped fresh garlic. I also fed her a premium dried food with no added artificial additives. She NEVER had fleas (something I attributed to the qualities of her thick double coat - but now think was the garlic) and I rarely treated her with chemical medicines for intestinal worms. Once in a while I would treat her, just to make sure. Sadly, I had to give her away when she was seven years old. Happily to a lovely home. The woman, who adopted my dog, took her for a vet check-up on the day she went to live with her. The vet could not get over how healthy my dog was.I am not saying that everyone should feed their dogs garlic. I am not saying that everyone should not. The difference in how dogs physiologically react to garlic/onions may come down to individual make-up. Just as individual people may be sensitive/allergic to certain foods. I know people who wont eat onions and/or garlic. They say that onions and/or garlic make them 'gassy. ' I, on the other hand love onions/garlic so much that I joke that I cant be friends with people who dont! And I dont have a problem with gas - just in case you were wondering! We have to remember that dogs/cats have been eating our onion/garlic left-overs for centuries and not dropped dead like flies! That is not to say that onion/garlic is the best thing for them. As a Paleolithic-like diet is considered best for the human body (as it has evolved to this diet for thousands of years) it must also be considered that garlic is not a food that your dog/cat would seek out in the wild. I would probably recommend avoiding onions, to be safe, but if you want to give your dog/cat garlic (as I did) use your common sense. Think 'medicinal dose' and remember that a dog/cat is smaller than you and needs smaller dose - best of luck"
06/10/2011: Dog Lover from Ok replies: "FYI: I've read that garlic is ok for dogs but onions are not as they contain a substance that can be very harmful for dogs."
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04/21/2009: amanda from gainesville, florida us: "garlic is in the onion family and onions are toxic to dogs. they can cause hemolytic anemia (basically kills red blood cells). my dog had hemolytic anemia and it is no joke! a blood tranfusion and thousands of dollars in vet bills to get her better. she is a shih-tzu mix and I have heard shih-tzus are especially predisposed to h.a."
Replies08/03/2009: Darwin from Kihei, Hi replies: "Did you even read the article? Onions and garlic are related but have an considerable difference in thiosulphate. Did you feed your dog onions or garlic? I supose there could be different veriteties of garlic that could have different levels of thiosulphates, depending on the level oh sulphates in the dirt and disposition from onions. Just a small dose will go a long way with dogs, so don't go feeding them a bulb of garlic a day. Unless they "yo quedo taco bell"."
12/28/2009: Whitney from Summerland, Bc, Canada replies: "There is a logic fallacy in extending onion's toxicity to all onion family members. A further example of this would be saying that potatoes and tomatos are toxic because they are in the same botanical family as deadly nightshade. Potatoes and tomatos indeed carry some of the toxin, especially in their non-edible plant parts. The tubers and fruits that we eat don't carry enough of the toxin to be poisonous. I believe moderation as has been already suggested is key."
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[YEA] 04/10/2009: BRAD F. from WESTPORT, CT.: "folks- i have BRed and raised collies and shelties.as you may know heart gard is deathly dangerous to all collie type dogs.a few years ago i finally became a pure natural person and hence my dog cash is also.
if you wish to use garlic - i do - you can substitute garlic spray which you can get in stores and the internet.what you do is spray his food an his water bowl.3 squirts.my dog loves it - theres no gas. of course all dogs like people are different.i will try the other above recipes as well.
the garlic spray can also be used to spray outside areas to kill fleas . its alot safer that pesticides.
also for fleas instead of using all these shampoos- mix in lemon juice. fleas hate citrus.its a curative and preventative item.
so many vets have showed me they care very little for your pets health. they go right for the meds and their own special dog companies from food - etc to make their profits.they know nothing of organic and natural remedies. they cant make the money on that."
05/27/2011: Mags from Coppell, Texas replies: "I'm feeding raw with great success. I'm going to add some garlic to the pups breakfast now. I also use beneficial nematodes to protect against fleas. 3 years ago had the worst infestation - in the HOUSE!!! No problems since using the beneficial nematodes, which also take care of many other pests attacking home & critters!"
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[QUESTION] 03/24/2009: Susan from Seymour, Tennessee, US: "My 1 yo Carolina Dog / American Dingo (Cooter) has been scratching almost since I got him at 7 1/2 weeks. I didn't notice the scratching until after I used a rx flea med on him. I have tried everything for the itching! he was diagnosed with demoditic mites and was treated and follow up was negative for them. but he's still scratching, and biting himself. I would love to quit the rx flea/worm meds and start him on garlic, BUT I almost lost my last dog to heartworms ( which are really bad here in east TN). Is the garlic also a preventivive for heartworms?( I know they r caused by mosquitos which are really bad here too) I have already switched him to a commercial grain-free dry food, tea tree oil & sulfa shampoos, leave in conditioner, ointments, a round each of antibiotics & steroids, human allergy med -which only made him sleepy- not necessarily in that order! And still he scratches & bites himself all over! he weighs about 35 lbs, how much garlic & how often, raw/fresh or dried? Any other ideas????Help!He's driving himself & my family crazy!"
Replies[YEA] 06/26/2009: Susan from Seymour, Tn replies: "Update on my CD/AD Cooter and Garlic! I have been using a grocery store brand dried minced garlic in Cooter's food at every meal. I only use a very small amount, about 1/8 tsp mixed in his food. He eats twice a day. I switched him to a holistic vet in Knoxville and made her aware that I used the garlic. She searched him for fleas or flea debris and could not find even a trace of a flea or tick! She has concurred with the amount I'm giving him,and that it is totally working but did remind me of the negative publicity about garlic, just in case! It is now mid-June here in East Tennessee, and the air is full of gnats, flies, mosquitoes and fleas & ticks abound! I have not seen a single one of any of these on Cooter except to buzz by and move on!!!! So My Answer is a resounding YEA! I even started adding garlic to the meats I cook for the Human part of the family, and even though I am usually a mosquito MAGNET, I have only had 2-3 bites this whole year, despite spending alot of time outside in mosquitoY conditions!!!!"
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03/09/2009: Louis from Dallas, Tx: "Garlic Feeding Method: For the person asking how to administer garlic to her pet: my former wife found that unpleasant-tasting medications can be disguised in peanut butter. She wrapped the heart worm prevention capsule in peanut butter (this works great, assuming someone out there knows something I am not aware of relative to peanut butter and pets). Also, a woman I talked to recently says she feeds garlic pills to her three dogs once a month (she buys these pills at her nearby 99-cent store in 30-tablet bottles; however, I don't know the strength of these pills). Perhaps someone out there can tell us about how much and in what form?"
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[QUESTION] 02/13/2009: Betsy from Colorado Springs, CO: "I have a question. I have a 50 lb Shepard mutt and a 25 lb Corgi. How much fresh garlic should I be giving them to keep them worm-free? Do I do it every day or a few days each month? What is the recommendation here?"
Replies02/14/2009: Sid Davis from Springfield, Missouri, USA replies: "I have read on some of the veterinary sites on the internet that things like garlic and onions can actually kill a dog. The explanation is that dogs cannot deal with some of the chemicals in these and these chemicals will combine with the dogs red blood cells preventing them from carrying oxygen. I think they have the same problem with the oxalic acid in chocolate.
You might want to research this carefully before you give your dog garlic."
EC: Please read Lisa S. Newman's article for more information: http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/garlic_for_dogs.html#ARTICLE
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[YEA] 11/30/2008: Janice from Bodmin, Cornwall, UK: "my gran used to breed dogs for crufts many years ago, she told me she never brought flea or worm products but used cloves of garlic chopped up and put with the dog food once a month,i was dubious about this old wives tale, but there is always an element of truth in the old tales, ive tried garlic on my four dogs, ages ranging fom 16 down to 5 months, they are all healthy, havent seen no fleas or worms, im a believer."
Replies11/16/2010: Ivy from Longwood, Fla replies: "Both my four year old mutts are allergic to flea bites and will scratch and bite themselves raw. I simply give them one small raw clove of garlic daily and coat it in cream cheese or stuffed in a piece of steak and in three days or less, poof, everything is back to normal. The mosquitoes and bugs leave them along too! "
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[YEA] 11/25/2008: Nena from Johnson City, TN: "i have use garlic on my dog for years and they have no fleas and very heathly.and havent had to treat my home for fleas in years and i bath them in tea tree shampoo that adds to help flealess in tenn....just a speakle of garlic powder on their food each day"
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[YEA] 11/18/2008: Raven from Bangkok, Thailand: "Recent research sets the LD50 (lethal dose at which 50% of subjects die) of garlic in dogs at approximately 5 grams per Kg.
So the dog who got sick from eating a whole bulb of garlic may have gotten a dangerous amount if the bulb was 50 grams like the ones I buy and the dog was 10 kg or so (22 lbs).
Smart per owners will keep all medicines, natural or not, in a safe storage.
That being said, much valid research seems to indicate nothing but good effects from a clove of garlic a day for dogs (use Google Scholar to search for and see all the papers on the web).
For tiny dogs a tiny piece is likely all that is needed.
My Thai Dog puppy loves garlic, but as he only weighs 12 Kg at 5 months old, one clove a day is all he gets. The vet says he looks great and tests show no intestinal worms."
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[YEA] 11/04/2008: Jan from Niwot, CO: "I have 4 cocker spaniels. Anyone who has had cockers knows they have ear problems. Also they are prone to skin conditions. I had 2 previous cockers one that skin condition so bad at 8 years old.........she got so sick and died. The other I spent a fortune on medications again and lived to 7. I bought a very healthy male and female at 6 weeks old. Waited to make sure they had no skin or health problems. Of course they were on otomax every other month That's the ear thing. We breed them and had a litter of pups. We kept 2 of them. One of them has severe ear and skin problems. All of a sudden the Mom started the skin problem. Again vet bills on medications. I have changed food so many times figuring allergy. I finally went to a no-grain dog food. The ears and skin cleared up , but it kept reacurring every couple months. I finally did 2 days of searching on the internet. They are still on the no grain dog food........but, I am adding a teaspoon of chopped garlic packed in water to their dinner meal. Also a few squirts of flaxseed oil, and a little powdered Acidophilis. We keep treating a condition and not getting to the root!!! After 4 days.and a bath 2x a week with Selsum blue shampoo. my baby that has had problems all her life (3 years) does not scratch any more. great skin and coat. and no more bad ears!!!! The other three have had same diet and they are amazingly more happy and active. They don't scratch anymore either!!! I know it's the garlic!!! It is the best natural medication there is!!!! They all weight about 20 pounds each..........and for 3 weeks now.no side effects except i can sleep with out my bed shaking from dogs scratching , licking feet and shaking their heads!"
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[YEA] 11/01/2008: Donna from La Luz, NM: "I was trimming my Bassett Hound's dewclaws and noticed under his tail, was some worms with "melon seed like pods". I immediately got him a "loaded" hot dog, loaded with 2 garlic capsules. I gave this to my other dog as well. I am not sure what type of parasite he has but he is not longer whining constantly, rubbing his backside on the ground, and the area beneath his tail no longer looks like an expressway. He was very happy and "bouncy" this morning even though he is at least 12 yeaars old. I dispensed another round of "loaded" hot dogs this morning and will repeat on a daily basis. I have 4 horses and give them garlic daily in their grain and their fecal tests come back negative on a 6 month basis. Garlic is a God send!!!"
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[YEA] 10/17/2008: Tanya from Apopka, Florida: "I had been having trouble with ticks on my cocker spaniel. We started giving her one garlic pill everyday and we have not had any more tick issues. The only way she will take it is if I hide the pill in a small piece of banana. If the banana is too firm, she will break it and spit out the pill. So be sure it is a ripened banana."
Replies12/06/2011: Mrsfluffurs from Port Richey, Fl replies: "What kind of garlic pills do you give your dog? I know you can't say the brand but are they solid pills or oil and what mg??????"
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10/15/2008: Corinna from Copperas Cove, Texas: "I have 9 dogs. 6 of them weight over 50lbs and the other 3 are 2 min. Yorkies and one min. Dachshund. I've been having a flea problem for a year now. I spent fortunes on all kinds of flea prevention and tried almost EVERYTHING there is. It got better but the fleas are still there. 2 days ago I started giving them garlic pills. 1 for each of the large dogs and 1/2 for the small ones. I also have 5 cats and give them 1/2 each. But it is a fight and hassle to make them eat the pills. After reading this blog, it seems to me that fresh garlic is better than the pills, but I can't just throw in their food 'cause they won't eat it. Does anyone know a dog-treat I could make and put the garlic in there so they will eat it? My cats already had tapeworms because of the fleas. I got rid of those but since the fleas are still there it will only be a matter of time until they get the worms again. I would really appreciate any suggestion on how I can give my cats and dogs the garlic."
Replies[YEA] 10/28/2008: Suzanne from Bangor, ME USA replies: "We make the garlic for the dogs part of the stuffing that we use for their tire biters and kongs. It's a mix of pumpkin, squash, plain yogurt, and sometimes peanutbutter (sounds appetizing, doesn't it?). My little guy caught on, so we mixed it with some wet food cat food and he's none the wiser. You could probably do that for your cats too. If you need to get rid of worms again, try using diatamcious earth."
EC: Please read the warnings about using pool grade diatomaceous earth for pets here: http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/ear_mites.html#DIATOMACEOUSEARTH
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[YEA] 10/12/2008: Larry from Okla City, Okla : "I have been feeding my dogs garlic for years. I just put it on top of the food in the diced form or cook it with meat. I always cook meat for them even though raw is supposedly better. I have also always used tumeric too to prevent inflammation, adding herbs last to the cooking process. I am still really fighting parasites. I think I have more of a problem than my dog. I bathe my dog pretty frequently but plan to bathe him more. I will also try cloves and cayenne. My chiropractor told me to drink cider vinegar water daily. I also was curious about the chewing tobacco deal. Thanks for this site. It is very informative."
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[YEA] 10/02/2008: Karen from Reading, UK: "I have given garlic to all my dogs and they never have fleas or worms, and live long healthy lives. One Golden Retriever in particular was a real pig and would raid the shopping bags while you were getting the rest in. At one time he consumed 2 loaves of bread in a couple of gulps, another time a pound of sugar! Not to mention a lot of unspeakable stuff he would find in the fields. He had no ill efects and he lived to 17. Dogs usually have pretty strong stomachs! I do feel vets and feed manufacturers have a vested interest in bad mouthing anything natural. Our stable cats never have jabs or wormers and live to ripe old ages. They scrap and get a scratch or an absyss, but this disappears in a day or two on it's own, without sixty quids worth of antibiotics!"
Replies10/03/2008: Jacy from Sydney, NSW replies: "It should be said, that garlic and onion is poisonous to dogs, and in some breeds, can build up in their system and cause SEVERE form of anaemia - it sounds rather macabre, but the red blood cells begin to BURST! A breeder that I know said that a local vet asked them to bring one of their strong dogs in to "donate blood" for a dog who desperately needed a blood transfusion for long-term intake of garlic. The dog was suffering from severe anaemia. I'm surprised that some brands of dog food contain garlic also. It may ward off fleas, but I certainly would not risk it with my dogs. A safer and natural flea remedy is Eucalyptus oil or Tea Tree Oil added to their shampoo."
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[YEA] 09/28/2008: Cynthia from Pineville, LA: "hey my dad has been sprinkling garlic powder on his dogs food for about 16 yrs now. He used just enough to cover the top of food shake it into dry food or mix into canned."
Replies10/07/2009: Debra from Kirkwood, Mo replies: "I use Garlic gel caps for my Australian Shepard, and my Father used it for his dogs when I was growing up. Also my Father used Sevin Powder for Vegetables, that is also safe for Dogs. It looks like Baby Powder =)"
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