The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Posted by Suzana (Wellington , Florida) on 06/10/2008 ★★★★★
I was born in Europe and we always use to give garlic to dogs when they had worms. I have never ever witnessed anything but good results. It worked every time, most times within 24 hours some other times it would take a few days. The dogs lived very long lives, over 20 years of age. when I came to USA I noticed that a dog's life expectancy is more around 15 years and even less depending on the breeds. That is very sad. Now since National Geographic announced that garlic is bad it seems that everyone is ready to throw away hundreds of years of experience. Garlic cannot become bad from one day to an other. I personnaly don't know what I would do without these natural remedies that have worked for ever. I have yet never seen myself a dog who had adverse effect from garlic but I did see many dogs who went into epilepsy after receiving a conventional deworming :( I wish everyone would do more research before jumping to conclusions and believing everything. Sometimes what we hear is just half the truth... and of cousre we are missing the most important half, so we should look for it. The industry has done a spectacular job until now making us believe that what is natural is bad, synthetic is better, fresh real food is bad (they call it human food to make sure you lost your argument before even arguing it), pet food made from scraps(of "human food"), fillers and preservatives is better. Mentionning garlic among other bad foods for dogs does not make the fact that garlic is dangerous more true but it is more convincing.
We have a 7 pound Chiwawa (can never remember the correct spelling) with fleas. I would like to start giving her garlic. How much and how often should we give it to her? Should I use whole garlic, or can we use powder? Should I be concerned about additives in garlic powder? Could I put the correct size piece of garlic in a piece of cheese? Thank You for your Assistance, Debby
Well, I'm sorry I don't know what a chis is. How big is it. My Chiwawa is about 7 pounds. I've read a few things about garlic being toxic for dogs, so I want to be sure I'm not giving her too much, but of corse want to give her enough to be effective. So how much for a 7# dog?
Also, she's a pretty "picky" eater, so I'm thinking it may keep her from eating her food, or she'll eat around it. If that happens, would it be OK to just "hide" it in a chunck of cheese; she loves cheese.
Thank you for all your other helpful information, very helpful.
You wouldn't know of any natural methods to get rid of them in the yard. We usually have very heavy freezes here, but haven't had them for a few years and I'm thinking that's why we're having such a flea problem. I really don't want to use chemicals in our yard, but may have to resort to that if this doesn't work :( Any suggestions?)
Posted by Linda (Citrus Springs, Florida, U.s.a.) on 03/19/2011 ★☆☆☆☆
WARNING!
Just wanted to mention here... on using that diatomaceous earth, make sure its food grade! The other one is very dangerous to use around our animals. Linda
I was affraid to give my little Mitzi the garlic because of some of the testimonies about it causing long term bad effects. I called my vet and she said that a lot of her customers say they use garlic, but she couldn't tell me how much. I sure hope this helps as my poor dogs (We also have a very large Boxer, Spanky :) are just miserable.
Thank you for taking the time to give me all this helpful imformation... I'm going to try it... We, Mitzi, Spanky, my husband and myself, Debby, sure hope it helps :)
Blessings to You and all your little 4 legged friends! Debby
Garlic IS deadly for dogs. My poor sheltie just died a few days ago from eating 3.5 ounces of dried garlic he got into. He was totally healthy and fine before that. He was throwing up, became lathargic and with 8 hours was DEAD. I wish I would have know it is toxic to dogs, I would have taken him to the vet and they could have used charcoal on him, blood transfusion to replace the bursting blood cells and/or oxygen treatment. It causes a certain type of anemia and eventually kidney failure.
Posted by Garlicisnotsafe (Springvale, Me) on 09/23/2011 ★☆☆☆☆
I trust the AVMA more and they clearly state that foods containing garlic should not be fed to dogs! Stop telling people it's safe! See for yourself, the research has been done! Some people have had their dogs die because of garlic! This is so irresponsible on your part!
"Frank M." What you gave your dog was salt with a garlic scent, that is a poison to any animal and over time even to humans. I believe these comments target the"Real" fresh garlic. Therefore I start my dogs off with a very small piece of fresh garlic every other day because they are small.
Some times saving money is well worth the effort for our pets and there is no guarantee that vets.are 100% fool proof. While doing numerous web searches to find the correct treatment/s we should know what is good and what isn't.
I've been giving garlic in small amounts to my pets for years. Are you sure it wasn't gmo steak? See, Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of our Lives on you tube.
I just want to throw in my two cents about garlic. I have always had German Shepherds. Back in 2007 I had a GS pup and had him on a heartworm pill. Each time I gave him the pill, he would vomit and over several months I saw him and sicker and sicker. Ok enough of these pills so thru my neighbor who was a Ft Lauderdale K9 officer, he told me about a company in Maryland that sells garlic tabs. I don't want to say their name but they do have a following. Anyway I put the dog on the garlic tabs. He had no fleas or ticks or heartworms and of course the vets were not enthusiastic about this. He lived to almost 15 yrs old and died from old age. Circumstances drastically changed in my life and I left Ft Lauderdale and relocated to a semi rural area. Lots of wooded acreage.
In February of this year I got another GS pup and of course I continued with the garlic tabs. Recently I saw him scratching a lot and I thought perhaps I should change his food and he does like to play in the dirt. I brush him everyday. I couldn't see any fleas so I didn't think much about it. The last few days he didn't seem right so yesterday I took him to the vet. Imagine my horror when vet said he has a major flea infestation and ticks and I was unable to see them because his coat is so thick. We had to wait a few minutes for the heartworm test and all I could think was he has heartworms if he has fleas and ticks. The garlic failed me. I was faithfully giving it to him everyday and extra because of the mosquito population in this area. Thank God he did not have heartworms. The vet shaved some of his fur off and placed it on a paper towel where I saw all these fleas and flea poop. OMG!
I had no choice but to put him on these heartworm pills. The treatment for heartworm is incredibly expensive and what the poor dog has to go thru is horrible and they might not survive. I read an article on Dr Mercola site that where garlic fails is that heartworm is in the blood not the digestive tract. In closing, garlic failed.
Posted by Jessica (Phoenix, Arizona, USA) on 06/22/2007 ★★★★★
My 25# Cocker Spaniel tried to eat a, Arizona Bark Scorpion (Centruroides exilicauda) (The worst kind in North America) last night. She and the Scorpion survived the encounter, but the antivenom for these Scorpions is not recommended for dogs. So, rather than wait for her to develop symptoms that may be treated; (seizure, muscle tremors, breathing and digestive difficulties) I gave her Garlic to fight the poison from the Scorpion. It is believed that the thiosulfates that are toxic to dogs (the can cause the red blood cells in the body to burst) also fight the venom itself. My hope is that the thiosulfates will fight the venom before affecting her blood cells. Right now she is unusually sleepy, but otherwise there have not been any other signs of toxins (Garlic or Venom).
Do not poison your dogs!!! 1/4 teaspoon Minced Garlic- Mixed with food - twice a week is all you need. During summer or heavy infestation increase slightly. Takes a few days but it works once the garlic is in the blood stream.
So glad to hear your wise words you are so right, my dogs eat pretty much everything we eat and I cook with garlic. Thank you for your post. It is so sad how our vets want us to use unnatural products on our pets. And frown on the natural remedies saying they don't work when they do. I guess it's all about that pharmacy money..
If you are rubbing your dog down with garlic powder they are still ingesting garlic. They groom themselves, they inhale it, n the skin absorbs much of what is put on it... Just FYI.
Posted by Teri In T Town (Tacoma, Wa, Usa) on 02/08/2012 ★★★★★
Have you ever read the ingredients in dog food? I used to feed my dog one of the very high end foods my vet sold, and listed right there in the ingredients is garlic. This food explained what each ingredient was for, and under garlic... Immune booster. So, I suspect it is like most things in that something beneficial can become toxic at higher levels. Vitamin D is toxic at very high doses, but very essential. Warnings exist because a few dogs have died after eating massive amounts of garlic. (Vitamin D used to have all sorts of warnings for decades)
A few days of a little garlic in my dog's food and all signs of the tapeworm are gone. Thanks Earth Clinic! Love this site.
I thank you for your factual post. This will be the 2nd year I have used fresh garlic to rid my dogs of flea's and other possible parasites. These 2 summer's have been the 1st flea free summers. We have used all the major vet brands of flea meds. None of which worked to completion (we live in the country). I do however mix this garlic with white rice. Given @ 1/2 cup with 1-2 cloves (depending on size and type of garlic) every other day mixed in with dry dog food. I am not precise in measurements as well my dogs are large & medium. While I appreciate moderation in all that we do, for my dog's garlic has been a blessing. For those worried, I imagine you could allow for understanding that just like humans, all dogs are different and while it may work for my dog, it may be harmful to your dog due to a possible allergy or otherwise?.?. We get in a robotic frame of mind when we want answers. You were concerned so you searched for answers. If the first answer was unsuccessful - keep searching. Our world is full of answers!
Thank you to those who help us in our search for answers outside the realm of pharmaceuticals!!! Your work is appreciated!
Posted by Debra Lynn (Lake Stevens, Wa Usa) on 08/30/2011
Please research garlic for animals is only beneficial if provided in oil form. No garlic salt-powder-clove etc. I pop a garlic oil 3mg dietary supplement down both the cat & dog once a week. I use BORAX when I need to clean my home, no bug bombs. Wash bedding and vaccum all in one day. Use a pie plate dish with a little water in the bottom a couple drops of dishsoap will attract any fleas if you need to detect or confirm conquest. Yippee its easy 1-2-3
Posted by Misschris (Nolanville, Tx) on 05/31/2011
My heart goes out to you and your darling, Nell. I too live in TX (Ft Hood area) and about a year and a half ago found out that my 2 female dogs had heartworms. They are sisters and about the same age as your baby. I did not want to subject them to the harsh poison treatment and decided to try and find a natural solution. I had started feeding my dogs raw a few months before I found out, because some of them were having continuous skin problems (little did I know that it was most likely due to the heartworm infection, causing their immune system to be severely compromised).
The regimen I use was developed by Hulda Clark. All my dogs get it daily, since it is also recommended as a preventive measure, not only for the heartworms but other parasites as well. I started the regimen in March 2010. I have developed a way of feeding it to them that they readily accept. I have not gotten them re-tested yet, as we are still in the process of detoxifying and building the immune system. I have seen progress, however, and am hopeful. As it is said with herbal treatment, things SEEM to get worse before they get better, but most of all it takes TIME, and one must be consistant.
I have read the article about garlic from the the world renowed Dr. Anderson. However I got my information from the world renowed National Geographic. Believe me I always look for alternative things and this is not the only place I've read it because I researched it alot! I know the amount of thiosulphate is not as large in garlic as onions. The dog has to have alot to do damage, thats why I researched the weight. Nothing against any vet or anyone. But their are A LOT of vets I disagree with.
Posted by Joe (Fayetteville, Nc Usa) on 11/17/2011
I'm not sure I'm following the math from your recommendation: If a dog eats 0. 5 percent of it's own bodyweight in garlic, it can show signs of poison. That means if my 80 lb. Lab eats 6.4 oz of garlic (80*16 oz/lb=1280 oz. , then 1280*0. 5%=6. 4 oz. ) she can show signs of poison? How much does a garlic clove weigh? About 6 grams, yeah? Then, let's see, there are about 28 grams per ounce so 6.4 ounces equals about 180 grams. I'm no mathemetician, but are ya' saying that I shouldn't feed my lab 30 cloves of garlic? That is a lot of garlic.
Posted by Bexidoodle (Stoke-on-trent, Staffordshire) on 01/16/2010
I would just like to say thank you for all the info on feeding garlic to your dog. I am new to looking into supplemental foods for dogs as our 10 yr old Border Collie was recently diagnosed with cancer and I am re-working his diet.
For about a week I have spent a lot of time scouring the internet for info and advice and I can honestly say that until I found this website everything I saw about Garlic stated it shouldn't be given to dogs due to the high toxicity as with onions.
I am relieved this site puts such a reasonable argument for it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one slightly irritated by people who clearly haven't read all the info on garlic before adding their comments about its dangers - especially when they haven't experienced the drawbacks themselves.
[DEATH REPORTED] 08/25/2011: Tshona from Scottsdale, Az replies: "Garlic IS deadly for dogs. My poor sheltie just died a few days ago from eating 3. 5 ounces of dried garlic he got into. He was totally healthy and fine before that. He was throwing up, became lathargic and with 8 hours was DEAD. I wish I would have know it is toxic to dogs, I would have taken him to the vet and they could have used charcoal on him, blood transfusion to replace the bursting blood cells and/or oxygen treatment. It causes a certain type of anemia and eventually kidney failure."
Tshona: Virtually anything can be toxic if the levels are high enough. Water is actually toxic to humans at 90g/kg body weight. (25 8oz. Glasses for a 150 lb. Person) 3.5 ounces of garlic powder is approximately equal to 30 teaspoons of garlic powder. One EIGHTH of a teaspoon of powder is equal to one clove. So your dog ate the equivalent of 240 cloves of garlic. That amount would likely be toxic to a human as well. Don't beat yourself up over this. With that amount of garlic, and by the time you saw symptoms, it's unlikely a vet could have saved him even if you'd taken him to one.
Garlic is safe. In the correct doses. All things in moderation.
Posted by Holistichelen (St Petersburg, Florida) on 04/17/2012
re: garlic for dogs - I have been using garlic to eliminate fleas on my pups for about 30 years. I started with a brand of garlic - opened the capsules on the food. It was about 3 months and NO MORE FLEAS. I now use a great product that has no excipients in the garlic. My pups will eat the capsule like a snack. 1 am 1 pm and 1 in their food. The more a dog weighs, the more garlic needed. Wire Haired Terrier - about 25#s - 3-4 capsules daily until you know there are no more fleas. Reduce by 1 cap at a time until you find the right dose. I also believe that it helps with heartworms and the heart.
Posted by Angel (Chicago Suburbs, Illinois) on 10/27/2011 ★★★★★
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.
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
Posted by Jocelyn (London, UK) on 08/18/2009 ★★★★★
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.
Posted by Vikas (Bangalore, India) on 08/09/2011 ★★★★★
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.
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.
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!
Posted by Angie (Adelaide, South Australia ) on 06/08/2011
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
Posted by Whitney (Summerland, Bc, Canada) on 12/28/2009
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.
If you use the Garlic Spray, check to see how it is made. If it is heated you will lose many of the beneficial/medicinal benefits. I use Raw Garlic and Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar in my Two Little Monsters food each day, they are about 8-9 pounds and a Chihuahua/Miniature Pincher mix. They eat a Raw, Species Appropriate Diet with a Teaspoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar and a SMALL clove of Raw Garlic added to their food each day. Since I started doing this I have not seen a flea or tick!
There is also Concentrated Garlic Liquid, Garlic Barrier or Mosquito Barrier available for treating your lawn. They are both made by the same company, just check on the concentration level of each product and buy the MOST concentrated to get the best value. Mix it in a Tree/Yard type sprayer with water and spray your yard. Follow directions and your own experience for how often to spray. If you buy the Gallon Size it is HIGHLY concentrated and will keep away many pests in your yard.
If I get a flea problem, I use Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth with a couple of Essential Oils that are Flea Deterrents added to it on all of my carpets and set up Flea Traps in the areas that My Two Little Monsters spend their time in. They are easy to make. In a Wide Shallow Bowl or Deeper Small Dinner Plate Add 1-2 Tsp. of Dawn Dish Washing Liquid and fill with Warm Water. I bought a Victor Flea Trap, the one with the night light bulb in the top and set it over the top of the bowl. The Light/Heat attracts the Fleas, they jump in the water and the Dawn make them sink and drown immediately. It got rid of a very bad flea infestation fairly quickly and completely using the Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth & Flea Traps.
The wonderful Theresa from Minneapolis, MN has been helping pet owners and their beloved pets around the world on Earth Clinic since 2013.
About Theresa
Theresa from Minneapolis was born and raised in the inner city, always wishing she had been raised on a farm.
Her love for creatures great and small began at an early age, starting with caterpillars - which continues to this day, along with an interest in all insects and 'creepy crawlies'.
Theresa's interest in pet health started with a bird keeping hobby at age 14, where she learned from another hobbyist that the simple addition of Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) in a bird's drinking water kept fungal infections away; she was able to share this with her avian vet who in turn prescribed it to her own clients; Theresa was surprised to learn that she could teach her vet a thing or two. This important lesson - that each of us can be a teacher - was a turning point for Theresa, and fueled her quest for the knowledge held in lore, and remedies passed by word of mouth. That quest for knowledge continues to this day, as new and old remedies alike are explored. She may not have experience with a particular issue, but she will research it to the best of her ability and share what she finds freely, in the hopes that you can heal or improve your pet's health.
-----------------------------
How To Show Theresa Your Appreciation
If you would like to thank Theresa for her helpful posts, she asks if you would please consider making a donation to one of her favorite local rescue organizations, or by making a donation to help the genius contributor, Ted from Bangkok, recover from his stroke.
I just wanted to add to this excellent post that beneficial predatory nematodes may also be very helpful to keep flea population down in grass yards. Also cedar granules may be very effective as well.
My husband has been giving all of our dogs minced garlic in their food (1/4 tsp for the Chihuahuas and a full tsp for our lab mix) a few times a week for years. Our first dog that died did so due to old age at 14 years. Had her since a puppy. No fleas, no ticks and no intestinal worms and not one has ever tested positive for heart worms. Fresh uncooked garlic stay away from.
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!
Posted by Suzanne (Bangor, ME USA) on 10/28/2008 ★★★★★
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.
I have been giving my dog one 1500 mg garlic oil capsule a day for over a month in hopes of curing her smelly/itchy ear problem. I have given her garlic in the past, so I already knew this would not hurt her. It hasn't seemed to help so far, but I can attest to the fact that GARLIC DOES NOT HURT DOGS.
Posted by Carlos (Lisbon, Portugal) on 08/27/2008 ★☆☆☆☆
I have done some searching online to find the pros and cons of Garlic and pets. I have come across a few links that suggest that Garlic can be fatal to pets - see below;
Garlic is part of the onion family (alliaceae) along with leeks and shallots. There is ample research available which indicates onions can be harmful, if not deadly, to our pets. In the last five years, more and more toxicity studies are being conducted on garlic and all seem to indicate that it, too, can pose serious health risks when fed to cats and dogs. A 2003 study on Grape and Raisin Toxicity in Dogs, published in the Australian Veterinary Journal begins, "The list of commonly available human foods toxic to dogs continues to grow. Grapes and raisins can be added to onions, garlic, chocolate, and macadamia nuts as posing dangers when ingested in excessive quantities." [1] Unfortunately, no one knows what constitutes "excessive quantities".
In an article on Onion and Garlic Toxicity in Dogs and Cats, Jennifer Prince, DVM states: "Garlic and onion are used as flavor enhancers in food. Since the toxic amount is unknown, it is recommended not to add it to your pet's food. These ingredients can cause Heinz body anemia, resulting in a breakdown of the red blood cells and anemia." [2]
Although the exact toxic dose is not known, studies unanimously agree that foods containing garlic should not be fed to dogs.
That's just the thing, though! ANYTHING in a large dose can be lethal. That same flea medication that you use instead of garlic could easily kill a dog, even if used topically. Yes, garlic could be lethal if ingested in a large dose. So can water, for crying out loud!
Personally, I've done quite a bit of research on garlic because none of the flea treatments I've tried have worked. I switched my dog to a RAW diet in November, and have slowly been inching towards a more natural all-around life for her. Garlic is just another step in the process. The fleas have been ridiculous, and I'm anxious to see if garlic can bring yet another benefit to the natural diet.
You just gave me the perfect way to feed garlic to my dog. He loves rice so I know he'll eat it. I've been researching on the internet. We always have trouble with fleas during the summer here. I can give him a pill...or I can put stuff on his back. Last time i put the stuff on his back I noticed that within thirty minutes his skin had turned bright red. This really worried me and since then I've been considering how to get rid of fleas without putting poison on my dog. I oiled him with a tea tree oil otc mixture (not pure tt oil, but diluted) this evening and will give him this as well. He has a recurring worm problem because of the fleas so we'll see if this helps him at all. Thanks for the tip.
Another solution for fleas is brewers yeast tablets. I buy the human kind and some dogs even like the taste of it.If they wont just eat the brewers yeast pill you can crush it up and put in their food. Fleas hate brewers yeast.
Posted by barb haven (WINDSOR, canada) on 12/01/2007 ★★★★★
I routinely use 1(med) clove of garlic in a 2 litre stewpot that yeilds 72 oz of dog food. consisting of 2 cups brown rice, 2-3 small potatoes, 3 carrots, 1 tbsp rosemary, 1 stalk celery, 1tbsp basil, 1/4 can chick peas, 1 med zucchini, or broccoli and two apples, I sometimes include 1/8 cup cottage cheese, to this I add' a ratio of 1/3 pureed mixture of either beef or chicken liver, chicken gizards and hearts. In additional after cooked I sprinkle in 2 tbsp of a 2:1 ratio of calcium/phosphorus supplement, which also includes proteins, fats,vitamins, minerals and advanced micro -nutrients. Am I overdoing it by adding the calcium vitamin supplement?
Posted by bruce (Hunstville, Al, USA) on 07/02/2007 ★★★★★
I feed my dog Garlic for tick defence. I have been feeding my dog ( 3 yrs old) Garlic shavings for about a year to defend against ticks. He is a neutered collie type. I have not encountered any adverse effects and he is sharp and lively. The ticks he picks up seem to fall off more easily after this diet - I presume they don't like the taste it leaves in the blood. Not sure why it works but I think it makes him more healthy as well.
Posted by Mrsfluffurs (Port Richey, Fl, Usa) on 12/14/2011
Question: I have read several posts about garlic pills. 2 out of 3 of my dogs will not eat the garlic in their food, I have also tried to hide the garlic in people food but they caught on. It doesn't matter if I use fresh or powdered garlic, they won't eat it. I have 1 tea cup Pomeranian, about 5lbs, a regular size Pomeranian, about 15lbs, and a terrier mix, about 20lbs. The garlic pills I have are the pearl kind with the garlic oil inside. The bottle says garlic oil 2000mg and on the back in the supplement facts box it says: amount per softgel:order less garlic oil 100:1, then under percent of daily value: 20mg. Under that the bottle states:(equivalent to 2000mg of fresh garlic bulb).
I have no idea how many mg are in a clove of garlic. These numbers seem high to me. I don't want to overdose my dogs and cause them harm.
Those of you that give your dogs garlic pills or soft gels how much do you give them? What does your bottle say as far as mg? Are my soft gels safe for my babies? I would really appreciate any help. We just lost one of our dogs last week. She was bitten by a snake. She was 16 yrs old. I wish I knew about the benefits of garlic before, maybe she would still be with us. I have 4 special needs children that we adopted, and the dogs have played a HUGE role in the children's therapy, I want to prolong the lives of my other 3 dogs, I can't bear to lose another dog and it's been absolutely devastating for the children. So if anyone knows if it's ok to give the dogs garlic in pill or softgel form and if so how much. Thank you very much.
Garlic is good for dogs but only in small amounts. Many vets and articles say no to garlic because there is potential to overdose = heart failure. You ARE trying to give way too much and likely, even the dogs know it. As we should listen to the wisdom of the children, we should do the same for our pets! And ourselves, obviously your intuition is warning you. Yes, those doses will likely kill them. They hardly need more than a little sliver for their size - for immune boosting, pest repellant, etc.
What are you giving it to them for, I wonder.
Find a holistic vet you can work with. They might suggest something better or a combination of things depending on your needs. At the least they would give proper dosage. You don't have to have one in your area - many of them will do phone consults. Your job is just to find one that you respect and trust to give you advice on natural remedies specific for your dogs. Organic Raw garlic is best - maybe hide a little sliver in a bit of organic beef? A dog who won't take something you hand them for no reason might take it if you get them to do a trick and the put it out as a treat which the usually take so quickly there is little time for investigation.
I'll check back to see if you have any more questions. In the mean time, take those pills yourself - sounds like you should be boosting your immune system with a house full of loving souls that need you!
5 Pooches: Your messages are the best, very straight forward and to the point. How-ever, Neem oil on a pet's fur is not good as they tend to lap their fur constantly and Neem oil is like taking hot sauce and pouring it in your mouth or even worse.
Debby/Ca. Again I am sorry for past comment and hope to retract the statement on and about giving my dogs garlic where I later found it is in fact poison to our pets.I have in the past found that probiotics are by far better for dogs only in very small moderations where it has helped my pets, I now still have the same dog that is very close to a 100 yrs.old, she is blind, an going deaf, she still gets around an loves to play. But needless to say garlic salt is poison to people what do you think it does to animals? I have watched animals live out in the wild for years, and this is what they do in order to eat & survive, they pick rubbish barrels and sniff the food, if it cannot be eaten by humans neither will an animal eat it. I said this to say, we as humans need to be more aware of what we DO give our pets." When in doubt(?) Do nothing....http://www.petguide.com/health/dog/the-shocking-truth-about-dogs-and-garlic/
Posted by Gavin (Killarney Vale, N.S.W. Australia) on 03/10/2007 ★★★★★
I have fed my Dingo cross bred 1 clove of garlic thinly sliced in his nightly bowl of dry food for 3 weeks so far to cure flea infestation. I have tried both top brand remedies available in Australia, (Frontline & Advantage) to no avail.The dog laps it up and the fleas have gone. No side effect so far. He does not smell like an Italian restaurant, however his coat is also very shiny. Is this too much as I have heard that Garlic is both good & bad. Most reports of bad seem to come from Vets who would lose money by not selling/promoting their sponsored product.
JUST TO CLEAR UP ANY CONFUSION ABOUT GIVING GARLIC TO DOGS, HERE IS A WHOLE ARTICLE ON THE ISSUE, I THOUGHT SOME ONE MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THIS INFO. I SURE AM AS I THOUGHT OTHER WISE.TY
I have used Brewer's Yeast with Garlic tabs since 1972 and have not had a flea ot tick on any dog. I know ticks are around because I occasionally get one stuck in my head or neck - lol. I have had 7 dogs that have passed on - and all lived past 10 years of age with hardly any health problems - my last one to be put down was my lab Millie - she was 13 years and 8 months old - her sister Mollie turned 14 in August and is still going strong - missed Millie but now has a new 8 year old pal named Benji and Mollie is bouncing around like a puppy - sleeps a lot, but when awake she is bounding down the hallway, running out the dog door and rolling around on the living room carpet - sleeps on her bed next to mine or on the futon or couch. She has enjoyed life from what I have seen and I have never taken any of my dogs to the vet more than for an annual checkup. But, the brewer's yeast with garlic tabs (available at stores that sell dog supplies or online) is given according to weight. I highly recommend it.
Thank you! I have a new dachshund and he brought fleas with him. No flea control found for young puppies. They drove me out of the house. I finally cut up a garlic clove, made a little pocket and tied it around his neck. Have not seen the fleas (they're probably moved to my bedroom), but worried that the garlic could hurt my little dog. Again, thanks.
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