Can Dogs Eat Garlic?

Garlic is poisonous to dogs. Whilst a staple in most cuisines, this Allium family member is not one to add to your pet's food. It's about five times as potent as onion and leeks. This plant packs a punch. 

Symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Anaemia
  • Anorexia
  • Ataxia
  • Bad breath
  • Blood in the urine
  • Collapse
  • Dehydration
  • Depression
  • Diarrhoea
  • Drooling
  • Elevated heart and respiratory rate
  • Exercise intolerance
  • Jaundice
  • Lethargy
  • Liver and spleen inflammation
  • Nausea
  • Pale gums
  • Red or brown urine
  • Seizures
  • Trouble breathing 
  • Vomiting
  • Weakness
garlic poisonous for dogs allium

Eating large amounts can damage your dog's red blood cells. If these cells rupture, your dog may become anaemic. It can also trigger GI upset - expect nausea, drooling, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea.

Garlic poisoning might take several days to show symptoms. If you spot any, it's best to consult your vet. In small amounts, there won't be many problems; however, that doesn't mean garlic is good for dogs. If you're feeding garlic to your dog as dog food, it will be dangerous. 

Top Tips:

  • Garlic is bad for dogs; however, some will react worse than others. For example, Japanese breeds like the Akita and Shiba Inu are known to be more sensitive. 
  • Symptoms will depend on the quantity of garlic eaten and the size of your dog. 
  • If you have any plants, like garlic that's toxic for dogs or cats, it's best to fence them off to avoid avoidable problems. This also includes onions, leeks and chives.
can dogs eat garlic allium family member poisonous for dogs

Treatment Plan

Emesis - Firstly, your dog will need to vomit. The key is to get the toxins out of the body as quickly as possible. 

Activated Charcoal - Once they've vomited, you can administer activated charcoal at a 1g dose per one pound of body weight. It will prevent any more toxins from absorbing into the body.

Stomach pump - If there are still toxins in the body, your vet will flush the toxins out with a saline solution stomach pump. 

IV Fluids/oxygen therapy - These will accompany the stomach pump to ensure your dog is hydrated and breathing correctly. It should also speed up the detoxification process. 

If your dog has anaemia, your vet will perform a blood transfusion and prescribe some iron medication. 

Before you can take your dog home, they'll receive dietary and exercise requirements. These instructions will ensure that your dog recovers from the poisoning quickly. Instructions will vary depending on the level of poisoning your dog experienced.