In many website, veterinary forums and in some reviews I have seen people are referring garlic as a wonderful herb for dogs. Indeed it is a wonderful herb because it’s a good immune booster, good antimicrobial agent, enhances the liver functions and a reliable tick/fly repellant but on the other side it causes a severe type of anemia in dogs known as Heinz-Body Anemia (Anemia due to Red Blood Cell damage) and it may lead to the death of the dog, if fed on regular basis.
Garlic belongs to the family of onions and like onions it contains high concentrations of a compound thiosulphate which causes oxidative damage to the red blood cells and ultimately leads to hemolytic or Heinz-Body Anemia, in which the blood cells start to burst in the circulation. As we all know that red blood cells carry oxygen and transfer it to all the tissues in the body, now since the red blood cells are destroyed, the body is deprived of the oxygen. The dog will start to show signs of weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, discolored urine, rapid breathing etc.
Benefits
1. Immunostimulant
Garlic improves the immune system of dogs by increasing the activity of white blood cells that destroy invading microbes and cancer cells. Therefore, it is very useful for those dogs with suppressed immune system and dogs fighting cancer.
2. Antimicrobial Activity
It’s antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti parasitic activity helps the dogs fighting with bacterial or viral infections or any types of parasites either internal or external or fungal infections.
3. Liver Function Enhancer
It enhances the function of liver as it is an excellent detoxifying agent and helps the liver in eliminating the toxins which are harmful for the body.
4. Cardiovascular Tonic
Garlic helps in preventing blood clot formation in vascular system. Also it benefits the cardiovascular system by reducing the blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels in dogs.
The side effects are due to regular intake of garlic, either in large or small amounts it doesn’t matter. But what we can do to utilize the benefits of garlic in dogs is by giving it in a discontinuous manner.
Conclusion
So, in the conclusion I will say that although garlic beneficial for dogs in many aspects. But we cannot ignore its side effects. The side effects are due to regular intake of garlic, either in large or small amounts it doesn’t matter. But what we can do to utilize the benefits of garlic in dogs is by giving it in a discontinuous manner. That is by feeding one clove of fresh garlic twice or three times in a week will be of no harm. The dog’s immune system will be boosted and so will be the other benefits.
