The essentials
- Garlic contains thiosulfate, which is toxic to dogs — The size of your dog, the amount of garlic ingested, and whether it’s powdered determines how dangerous this ingredient can be.
- Toxic doesn’t always mean fatal — It takes a lot of garlic to make your pup seriously ill, but it’s best to play it safe and call your vet if you suspect your dog has ingested garlic.
- Garlic is everywhere — Garlic hides in human food recipes. It’s best to avoid feeding your dog people food unless you know exactly what’s in it and that it’s safe for your pup.
Garlic is toxic to dogs. Ingesting 2 grams per pound (g/lb) of your dog’s weight, raw or cooked garlic is enough to cause garlic toxicity or other complications. Without immediate medical intervention, eating enough garlic can be fatal. This also includes onions and leeks.
Garlic toxicity symptoms vary depending on the amount and type consumed (fresh or powdered) and the dog’s sensitivity. These can include gastrointestinal upset like vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, or, in more severe cases, it can cause damage to red blood cells and organ failure.
Here’s what you need to know about garlic toxicity, and what to do if you suspect that your dog is dealing with garlic poisoning.
How much garlic is toxic for dogs?
If your dog is prone to vacuuming up the food you dropped or stealing food off plates, understanding how much garlic is toxic can help you know when to seek treatment. Garlic can be dangerous in amounts of as little as 2 g/lb of your dog’s weight.
For example: With each clove of garlic weighing around 5 grams, if you had a dog that weighed 25 pounds, consuming ten cloves or half a bulb of garlic would warrant immediate medical attention to address any potential complications.
Garlic powder is a highly concentrated form of garlic due to a reduced water content. As a result, small quantities are even more toxic than fresh garlic. In fact, ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder is equal to one clove of garlic, making it extremely potent. Most cases of garlic toxicity in pets are due to the concentrated forms of garlic , like dehydrated flakes, powders, and dry soup mixes.
Members of the allium family contain thiosulfate, a compound that causes oxidative damage to red blood cells. These damaged cells then burst, resulting in anemia (decreased red blood cells). Red blood cells are critical for transporting oxygen and nutrients to the body. When they are destroyed, important organs do not get enough oxygen. — Liza Kahn, DVM
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, it’s best to limit or eliminate food scraps given to dogs. Instead, you can opt for healthy dog treats or safe veggies, such as baby carrots, as a snack.
🚨 Garlic is 3 to 5 times more toxic than onions . Call an emergency vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control at 888-426-4435 if it’s after hours or your dog has consumed a significant amount of garlic.
Is any garlic safe for dogs?
Humans often consume garlic for health benefits , but in most cases, these benefits don’t apply to dogs. What’s healthy for us can be harmful to them, and vice versa — because dogs metabolize food differently than humans.
In very small amounts, garlic can be beneficial to your pet due to its nutritional profile. Garlic is rich in amino acids, sulfur, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamins. You might have even seen garlic in commercial pet foods.
But, while there may be some health benefits associated with garlic for dogs, this doesn’t mean you should do it at home. Although commercial pet foods have been deemed safe, giving garlic at home can lead to unforeseen risks or unintended consequences.
🚨Dehydrated and powdered garlic and onions are generally higher in toxin concentration. Any ingestion of this concentrated version can pose a higher risk of poisoning.
Symptoms of garlic poisoning in dogs
Since garlic is in so many recipes, it’s likely that your pup has accidentally ingested some amount of garlic at some point. If it was just a tiny bit, they’ll likely be okay.
Here are the symptoms of garlic poisoning in dogs:
- Lethargy or weakness. Be aware of unusual fatigue, a reluctance to move, or decreased energy levels in your pet.
- Pale gums. This symptom can be indicative of possibly fatal anemia that’s associated with garlic toxicity. Pale gums, in this case, would be white, very light pink, or have a grayish color.
- Jaundice . Any yellowing of the skin or eyes can be a sign of liver issues, which can be associated with garlic toxicity.
- Red or brown-tinged urine . Darkened urine may indicate overexposure to toxins like onions and garlic.
- Decreased appetite. A sudden loss of interest in eating can be a warning sign of garlic toxicity.
- Increased or labored breathing. This symptom may appear as rapid or difficult breathing patterns. Other symptom variations can include open-mouth breathing , abdominal heaving while breathing, or breathing using shallow and fast breaths,
- Increased heart rate . Symptoms associated with increased heart rate in dogs can include excessive panting, shortness of breath, or lethargy.
- Intolerance for usual physical activity . This can look like avoidance or reluctance to typical activities, sudden weakness during exercise, not wanting to play, collapsing post-exercise, or excessively salivating after exercise.
- Vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and excessive drooling . These are common gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms when a dog ingests garlic. Additionally, excessive drooling can be an indication of an upset stomach in dogs.
- Changes in pee patterns . Kidney damage can occur secondary to garlic toxicity and may lead to changes in drinking and urinary patterns.
🚨 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 to show up.
Medical treatment for garlic poisoning
Treatment for garlic poisoning is typically based on the amount ingested and the symptoms that your pet is dealing with. Immediate intervention can mitigate the severity of the effects of garlic toxicity. Repeated blood work will also be critical since the destruction of red blood cells may not show up for several days. Other measures like intravenous fluids, medications, and close monitoring may be necessary depending on your pet and their symptoms.
Here’s what the next steps might look like once you get to the vet.
- Induce vomiting & activated charcoal. If ingestion was recent, or the amount ingested was a potentially fatal dose, your veterinarian might induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal to rid the stomach of garlic-related toxins.
- Bloodwork & urine tests . These tests check for toxicity, and they can show the overall function of the liver and kidneys — which can be affected by garlic poisoning.
- Possible hospitalization. For severe cases of toxicity, hospitalization may be required. At the hospital, your pet may be given intravenous fluids (IV) , blood transfusions, and oxygen therapy to help them recover.
🚨 These interventions are rarely required, but may be necessary if your dog is dehydrated from excessive GI upset or has severe anemia .
For mild symptoms treated early on, the prognosis is typically good. If your pet experiences more severe symptoms, the prognosis may be guarded, but they’ll often make a full recovery. Seeking immediate medical attention from your vet is crucial for the best possible outcome.
Myth vs fact: Does garlic work as a flea repellent?
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.
Unfortunately, this might be more of a myth than a miracle. At the moment, there is a lack of evidence showing that garlic repels fleas or ticks.
Since there’s so little scientific evidence for garlic as a flea repellant, we prefer not to use these supplements at all. Instead, we recommend these best flea and tick medicines for your pet pal. These medications are specifically formulated and tested to ensure your pet’s safety, protecting against fleas and ticks without the risk of garlic toxicity.
🚨 If you’re considering using these supplements, consult your veterinarian first to make sure you have the correct dosage. Remember, garlic is not fatal in small doses, but an accidental overdose can be.
Starts working in less than 24 hours
Bravecto Flea & Tick Chews
It’s super powerful and prescription only. Plus, it comes in two different delivery options- chews or topical.
Despite the reputation of being a beneficial ingredient in human diets, garlic is highly toxic to dogs and can be fatal if ingested in certain amounts. Even small quantities of garlic can lead to damage to red blood cells, leading to symptoms like weakness, lethargy, and even organ failure. If you suspect your dog has ingested garlic, contact poison control and your vet immediately.
Be a smarter pet parent
Sign up for the best pet advice you can get
Frequently asked questions
What will happen if a dog eats garlic?
Garlic is toxic to dogs but typically not fatal in small amounts. Most times, your dog will be fine, but they might display signs of GI upset, such as vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. If your dog has eaten any amount of garlic, it’s important to call your local vet, emergency vet, or Pet Poison Helpline to determine whether it’s a toxic dose. An expert will make this decision based on your dog’s body weight and the form of garlic consumed.
Can dogs eat small amounts of garlic?
Because a garlic overdose can be devastating, you should avoid giving your dog any food with this ingredient entirely. If you’d like to give your dog a garlic supplement, consult your pup’s veterinarian.
Can dogs eat meat cooked with garlic?
We don’t recommend it because garlic can cause GI upset even in small doses. If you want to give your dog meat, it’s best to cook it yourself with no seasoning.
Can I feed my dog garlic bread?
Garlic isn’t the only problem with this savory treat. Garlic bread is high in calories, salt, and fats, which aren’t good for dogs, either. We say skip this one and opt for a healthy dog treat as an alternative.
How much garlic can I give my dog for fleas?
Although other sources may claim you can give dogs garlic to repel fleas, there is a lack of evidence suggesting that garlic successfully repels fleas or ticks. We don’t recommend giving your dog garlic to avoid any garlic toxicity.
Can I rub garlic on my dog?
We do not recommend this, as any amount of garlic can have potentially negative consequences for your dog.
