Is garlic toxic to dogs?

Garlic can be dangerous to dogs in amounts of about 15 to 30 grams, according to the American Kennel Club. To put that into perspective, a typical bulb of garlic or small onion weighs about 5 grams. Studies have shown that dogs that ingested 5 grams of whole garlic were not adversely affected. Your dog would have to eat about three bulbs of garlic (yuck!) to have severe poisoning.

The problem is that garlic is a sneaky seasoning found in everything from Southwestern dishes to seafood, stews, and even spaghetti. Because it’s so prevalent, your dog might already be eating garlic if you frequently feed them table scraps. For this reason — and other health concerns such as high calorie and fat content — it’s best to limit or eliminate dogs’ scrap intake, and give them healthy dog treats or baby carrots as treats.

Humans often consume garlic for health benefits, but in most cases, these benefits don’t apply to dogs. What’s healthy for us may be harmful to them and vice versa because dogs metabolize food differently than humans. Garlic, onion, chives, and leeks are members of the allium family which are toxic to dogs as well as cats. In fact, garlic is the most toxic of the allium family! They all contain thiosulfate, a component that can cause damage to red blood cells, resulting in Heinz body hemolytic anemia. Garlic powder is the most toxic form of garlic since it’s super concentrated.

What about natural flea and tick prevention?

Some dog supplements contain garlic as a way to repel fleas and ticks. The theory is that these pests hate the smell of garlic, so the smell of your dog’s skin excreting the ingested garlic will ward them off. If you are thinking about using these supplements, consult your dog’s veterinarian first to make sure you get the correct dosage. Remember, garlic is not fatal in small doses, but an accidental overdose can easily be very dangerous. For this reason, we prefer not to use these supplements at all — instead, we recommend these best flea and tick medicines.

Since garlic is in so many recipes, it’s likely at some point your pup has accidentally ingested some amount of garlic. In most cases, your pup will be fine if they ate only a tiny amount.

According to the Pet Poison Hotline, symptoms of the more severe cases of garlic poisoning appear within 24 hours of when the garlic was consumed, but some symptoms could take up to a week.

Medical treatment for garlic poisoning

If it is determined that the amount of garlic ingested is a potentially fatal dose, then a veterinarian will need to induce vomiting within 2 hours of the garlic ingestion. If your dog vomits up the garlic, then your dog will likely not have any side effects.  If your dog develops harsh symptoms as a result of eating too much garlic, your vet may need to give intravenous fluids or a blood transfusion. These interventions are rarely required but may be necessary if your dog is dehydrated from excessive GI upset or has severe anemia.

If your dog loves people food, then consider giving them a  tummy-friendly treat that tastes like table scraps, without potentially harmful seasonings such as garlic.