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Veterinarians Correct the Myth about Garlic for our Pets
Feeding in moderation
Garlic could be the superfood your pup’s diet is missing

There are many things that we’re told to keep out of our dogs' reach and diets; garlic is one of them. However, emerging research is proving that garlic has beneficial properties that the modern dog could greatly benefit from. Despite this, garlic is still found on many lists of foods “not to give your dog,” which begs the question, is garlic toxic to dogs?

Is Garlic Toxic?

The short answer to this question is “No!” Garlic is actually a powerful antioxidant and a wonderful addition to pets’ diets when given in the recommended amounts. As with many foods, moderation is key. There is a tendency to generalize some beneficial foods as “bad” for dogs and cats due to the fact that, in large doses (with the example of garlic’s bad rep., exceedingly exorbitant doses!) they may pose a potential risk. But how many superfoods are today’s dogs and cats missing out on because of this?

The Garlic Studies Explained

Garlic was first given its bad rep by a Japanese clinical study in the year 2000. A corrective revised study was done in 2004 by the same laboratory.

The initial study claimed that garlic consumption could be linked to anemia in dogs, specifically a type of anemia called Heinz Body Anemia.
This study was based on the administration of what is the equivalent to 40 whole cloves of garlic, in concentrated form. This amount would be a huge amount for a human, as 1-2 cloves per day for people is a healthy, moderate amount.
Only eight healthy adult mixed-breed dogs were used in the study, four of which were in the Treatment Group, and four were in the Control Group.

The Treatment Group were given 1.25 milliliters of garlic extract per kilogram of body weight, which is equivalent to five grams of whole garlic per kilogram.
Control group: Four dogs were given water instead of garlic extract.

The study found that the dogs given garlic extract experienced some changes in their blood work, including:

Decreased erythrocyte count, Hct, and hemoglobin concentration
Heinz body formation
Increased erythrocyte-reduced glutathione concentration
Eccentrocytes

However, none of the dogs developed any hemolytic anemia or showed any outward signs of toxicity.

Some say that the study's sample size of four dogs was too small to be considered valid. They also note that the size of the dogs used in the study is unknown, which could be an important variable.

The corrective 2004 study(1) in which dogs were administered aged garlic on a daily basis, found that “there were no observable changes in the clinical signs, complete blood count, and serum biochemical parameters.” The findings of this study were ultimately that the results suggested that aged garlic extract (AGE) might safely contribute to the health of dogs provided that the appropriate dosage is used.

More About Garlic

Garlic is an organosulfide, like onions, which are also known to be toxic to dogs. The difference between garlic and onions when it comes to dogs, as told by Rodney Habib and veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker(2) is that onions contain significantly higher levels of thiosulfate which happens to be the compound that (in high quantities) can be harmful to dogs. While onions are rich in thiosulfates, garlic has only very small amounts. The two are often grouped together as toxic to dogs based on this information, and that of the aforementioned 2000 study. So, while your dog should still avoid onions, the benefits of garlic far outweigh the miniscule risks, which are only applicable when unreasonably large amounts of garlic are given to dogs.

Truth be told, small amounts of garlic have been shown to offer many health benefits for dogs and cats, including:

Natural antibacterial and antifungal
Natural pest repellent
Lowering blood pressure
Lowering blood sugar
Supporting cardiovascular health
Supporting immune health

What is the correct amount of garlic?

Scientific studies (3) have found it takes approximately 15 to 30 grams of garlic per kilogram (1kg = approx. 2 pounds) of body weight to produce harmful changes in a dog’s blood. To put that into perspective, the average clove of supermarket garlic weighs between 3 and 7 grams (10-17 cloves), so your dog would have to eat a lot to get really sick. However, some dogs are more sensitive to garlic toxicity than others, and consumption of a toxic dose spread out over a few days could also cause problems.

Per integrative veterinarians Dr. Karen Becker DVM and Dr. Katie Woodley DVM:

*Integrative Vet Daily Garlic Measurements for dogs:

- 10 to 15 pounds: 1/2 clove

- 20 to 40 pounds: 1 clove

- 45 to 70 pounds: 1 1/2 cloves

- 75 to 90 pounds: 2 cloves

- 100 pounds and over: 2 1/2 cloves

(Cats: 1/4 clove)

Pest Repellant

As pet guardians begin to reject traditional, monthly flea and tick chemical preventatives and kill-on-contact methods that contain pesticides and harmful compounds, garlic is being used more and more as a natural alternative. This can be seen in many natural and holistic pest preventatives.

Garlic is a natural pesticide, and in correct amounts that can build up in a dog’s system through consistent dosage of this meal mix-in, can help deter fleas, ticks, mosquitos and more, by being present in your pup’s bloodstream. When a dog has garlic in their system, the scent (and remember, garlic has a pungent odor) is secreted through the skin and coat, which is the way it deters pests.

Garlic has also been clinically shown to reduce glucose levels in the bloodstream for pets and people, alike(4).There has also been data showing that biting pests like ticks, fleas, and mosquitos are more attracted to higher blood sugar levels; a second benefit for garlic’s pest repellent effects.

Conclusion

Ultimately, while garlic has a bad rep when it comes to dogs, this is largely based on the fact that in exorbitantly high quantities. Prominent and trusted integrative veterinarians like Dr. Judy Morgan, Dr. Karen Becker, and Dr. Katie Woodley discuss garlic as a helpful tool for the multitude of uses on their platforms.

In summary, when given in proper amounts, garlic offers powerful benefits for dogs' cardiovascular and immune systems, as well as countless other benefits like natural pest repellent.. The flavor happens to be extremely palatable to both dogs and cats, as well. So, debunking the old myth, we can take full advantage of garlic as a natural, whole food tool for the health support of our beloved pets.

References:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30497454
https://youtu.be/lbx-unN011Q?si=zwbF5TE_qhI3R2YT
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2984110/
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240602/Garlic-proves-potent-in-reducing-blood-sugar-and-cholesterol-study-reveals.aspx

Additional Resources:

https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/care/the-many-benefits-of-garlic-for-your-dog/

https://youtu.be/HTto3bJFRH0?si=xSA3zGWlc0a6W0iy

https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/flea-and-tick-prevention-revisited?srsltid=AfmBOorNlcVW5TxQrwe7KGVfm8NnjuzmJBsHH4BCeeglS-jg05L0hbPc

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