Can Dogs Eat Garlic

One of the biggest mistakes most dog owners make is disregarding the “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to feeding our dogs. Most of us don’t take the advice we hear to heart.

“Oh, chocolates are bad for dogs? Then why do my dogs love them?” 

“Onions? It’s fine, my dogs eat table food, they’re used to it.”

These are the kind of things most dog owners would say when you warn them about the dangers of feeding their pets certain foods.

Can Dogs Eat Garlic?

And one of the foods that falls into this list is garlic. Garlic is definitely bad for our dogs, but we often overlook that fact and still feed our pets food with garlic in it. 

Sure, a small amount may not do too much harm. But dog owners should consider the long-term side effects garlic brings to your dog’s health.

Dogs metabolize certain foods differently than humans. This is why they cannot digest garlic as well as our bodies do.

Garlic, as well as onions, are part of the allium family and contains thiosulfate. Thiosulfate is incredibly toxic to dogs. It causes oxidative damage to red blood cells which can cause hemolytic anemia. 

Symptoms of hemolytic anemia include pale mucous membranes, lethargy, weakness, dark colored urine, rapid breathing, and jaundice. Feeding garlic to dogs can also cause gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, depression, abdominal pain, and dehydration. 

Some dogs are more sensitive to garlic toxicity than others, and it is not the same for every dog. The symptoms may not show for a period of time. However, intentionally feeding garlic to our dogs is a recipe for disaster and a hefty vet bill. 

If your dog accidentally eats a large amount of garlic, it is best to take him to your vet immediately. The vet is able to check to see if your dog has garlic poisoning and determine if they need medical treatment.

So now you know the answer to the question “can dogs eat garlic?” For more info on human foods dogs should or shouldn’t eat, check out the links below.

Learn More About What Human Foods Are Health or Harmful for Dogs

This article is part of our special series of articles about “What Human Foods Can Dogs Eat?”

Please check out other articles in the series including: Can Dogs Eat Ham?