Garlic is a plant species of the Allium genus. These plants are regarded as poisonous in all of their components. Garlic consumption in dogs damages red blood cells, which can lead to anemia (low red blood cell counts), respiratory difficulties, and organ damage. Dog owners need to know the signs of garlic poisoning if the dog has consumed garlic. Keep reading to know about the causes, symptoms, and ways to treat garlic poisoning in dogs at home.
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Why Garlic is Dangerous for Dogs?
The thiosulfates bis-2-propenyl trisulfide and bis-2-propenyl thiosulfate are found in garlic. Normal hemoglobin damage in dogs can be repaired by the dog himself, but the chemicals in garlic stop this from happening. Hemoglobin is necessary because it transports oxygen.
Red blood cells in your dog are extremely weak due to hemoglobin degradation, which also prevents them from carrying oxygen. Hemolysis is the term for the process when the cells rupture and fragment. In other words, a lot of garlic “dissolves” the red blood cells in your dog.
Causes of Garlic Poisoning in Dogs
It is advised to avoid giving your dog any of your food due to the additional health risks associated with doing so, including pancreatitis (from fatty food) and obesity (from too much calorific human food in general). Dogs can occasionally get poisonous from food that people can consume without any ill effects. The same as with garlic, any individual food item might be hazardous to dogs. The causes of garlic poisoning in dogs are listed below.
Garlic Sauce – Sauces that are made using garlic can cause toxicity in your furry friend. Some sauces containing garlic in raw form can become dangerous for your dog.
Raw Garlic – The diagnosis is challenging if you have not observed your dog eating wild garlic since you won’t even be aware that they have eaten anything hazardous until symptoms appear. It is also feasible for your dog to locate and swallow garlic growing in an uncultivated area.
Garlic Powder – Feeding your dog table scraps that have been seasoned with garlic powder is one of the most common causes of garlic poisoning.
Cooked Garlic – Cooked garlic can also be harmful. Healthy veggies that have been cooked with garlic are no longer suitable for your dog.
Garlic Bread – It is possible that you are enjoying your garlic bread, and suddenly your pup wants to have some. You would be willing to share with your furry friend if you do not know about the consequences.
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Signs of Garlic Poisoning in Dogs
The signs vary depending on how much garlic your dog ate. Here are a few of the most typical signs and symptoms.
- Collapse
- Dehydration
- Lack of muscle coordination (ataxia)
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Liver and spleen inflammation (hepatosplenomegaly)
- Nausea
- Pale gums
- Drooling
- Anemia
- Anorexia
- Bad breath
- Abdominal tenderness and cramping
How to Treat Garlic Poisoning in Dogs?
As soon as you see that your dog has consumed garlic, make sure they stop eating. Call your veterinarian right away. Wherever possible, keep hold of the packaging since the amount of garlic (if specified on the box) might be used by your veterinarian to determine whether a dangerous dose has been ingested. The vet may be aware of other harmful chemicals by the product’s ingredient list on the container.
NOTE: If you are unsure about your pup’s condition, it’s highly recommended to take your dog to the vet or contact pet poison control at (888) 426-4435.
The veterinarian may ask to induce vomiting by using hydrogen peroxide. If that does not work, you will have to take your dog to the hospital urgently. This is because it can be hard to gauge how much garlic a pet has consumed or forecast its effects. The veterinarian may decide to deliberately make your dog ill.
It’s critical to avoid performing this yourself at home. You have little chance of success and could do more harm than good. Your dog may receive an injection containing hydrogen peroxide from the vet that will ideally make them vomit and clear the stomach of the garlic-containing substances. As a result, less garlic will be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Once they have stopped vomiting, you may also give your dog activated charcoal. Any lingering toxins will be attracted to the activated charcoal and kept from entering the bloodstream, where they might cause harm. Blood transfusions, oxygen treatments, and supportive care may be necessary for severe instances.
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How Much Garlic is Toxic to Dogs?
The more thiosulfates your dog consumes per pound of body weight, the more harm will be done. This is because garlic is dose-dependent. Therefore, the impact on your dog may depend on the quantity of garlic consumed and the size of the dog. For instance, a small breed dog is more likely to have ill effects from consuming a lot of garlic than a large breed dog.
According to studies, it takes between 15 and 30 grams of garlic per kilogram of body weight for a dog’s blood to undergo adverse alterations. A shop garlic clove typically weighs between 3 and 7 grams, so your dog would have to consume a lot of it to become very ill.
However, certain dogs are more susceptible to the toxicity of garlic than others, and taking a toxic dosage of the herb over many days might also be harmful. This means while it’s not a good idea to purposely feed garlic to your dog, they should generally be OK if they accidentally consume something that has a small amount of it.
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