Feeding garlic to dogs to prevent fleas..???

TJ Keefe

I have searched the internet for such claims and it seems that garlic is an effective way to prevent fleas by feeding them to our dogs...

What d'you think guys????

Idea

Douglas Barr · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:15 am Post subject:

I've read about this, too! If I'm not mistaken, you mix garlic with the dog's food. I think it's ok since garlic is not harmful to dogs. I've never tried it though.

Gina Cavendish · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:46 am Post subject:

i've read somewhere that garlic, like chocolates, is poisonous to dogs. i'm not sure, though, how true this is. to be sure, ask your vet first if it's okay to feed your dogs garlic to get rid of those fleas and ticks. in the meantime, stick to flea shampoos to remove pests on your pets.

Eleni Gordon · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

i've read that bit about garlic being poisonous to dogs, too. i think if fed on small quantity, garlic can be helpful against fleas and ticks.

Keith Kitson · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject:

Eleni's right. We can feed garlic to our dogs only in small amounts. Wouldn't that be logical? They wouldn't eat garlic by itself, so we should ground it or chop it and mix it with their food.

Petmeister · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 8:36 am Post subject:

I make garlic juice for my two dogs. I blend a few cloves of garlic with a cup of water. I don't give it to my sweethearts as a drink, but what I do is spray the juice on their meal, especially if it's a dry meal.

I do believe it helps keeping the fleas away.

Simon Dobson · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:12 pm Post subject:

Garlic is also good for your dog's immune system. It's the same with people so I think there shouldn't be much difference. But I'm still uncomfortable with the smell. I think it will make my dog's breath too garlicky.

Beatrice Dixon · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:38 pm Post subject:

Megan Turnbull · Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:45 am Post subject:

this is new to me. using garlic against fleas. is this the only parasite that garlic can drive away from dogs? how about heartworms?

Douglas Barr · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 12:30 pm Post subject:

I don't think garlic can help with heartworm problems, Megan. It is best to consult your vet when it comes to heartworms. If you have flea problems on the other hand, then by all means give your dog some garlic. Remember to use it sparingly though. Too much of it may be harmful.

Petmeister · Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 1:37 pm Post subject:

Actually, garlic can help against heartworms, in a way. You see, the smell of garlic keeps mosquitoes away and it's the mosquitoes that carry the heartworm larvae and infect the dogs. So that's it.

Smile

Pauline Weiss · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 9:16 am Post subject:

yeah. first and foremost, it should be mosquitoes you should guard your pet from. no mosquitoes, no heartworms. it's as simple as that. Smile

Douglas Barr · Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject:

Really?

I didn't know that, Petmeister. Thanks for the info.

Patrick Ratzenberger · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 2:32 pm Post subject:

I'm still concerned that if I use vinegar, my dog will really smell like well, vinegar, no matter how quaint.

Douglas Barr · Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 10:15 am Post subject:

I guess you can use commercial products, Patrick, if you're really concerned about the smell. Try K9 Advantix, Advantage, or Frontline.

Pauline Weiss · Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 10:03 am Post subject:

don't try garlic on your dogs, especially those with heartworms. it's not effective at all. i agree with petmeister; garlic can only help ward off mosquitoes off your pet.

Gina Cavendish · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 8:45 am Post subject:

in that case pauline, garlic can help prevent heartworms. mosquitoes carry these pests with them so it's these flying insects you should be worried about first. you get rid of them, you get rid of heartworms. do i make sense?

Pauline Weiss · Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 9:41 am Post subject:

yeah gina, that makes a lot of sense to me. hehe. the bottomline is that we should do everything to keep heartworms off our pets. agree?

Amelia Bowman · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 5:06 pm Post subject:

I don't know with you guys but I don't want to use garlic on my dog. I'd rather use flea treatments which are more guaranteed effective in killing fleas.

jgoole · Newbie Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 2

New studies are showing that garlic, as well as onions, can cause anemia in dogs. I am holding off using garlic as a flea/mosquito prevention until more information is out. Since small amounts of raisins can build up in a dog's system and cause renal failure, I'm worried the same could be true with garlic and it could build up and cause anemia.

JGoole

jgoole · Newbie Joined: 26 May 2008 Posts: 2

New studies are showing that garlic, as well as onions, can cause anemia in dogs. I am holding off using garlic as a flea/mosquito prevention until more information is out. Since small amounts of raisins can build up in a dog's system and cause renal failure, I'm worried the same could be true with garlic and it could build up and cause anemia.

JGoole

Joey Concha · Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 2:03 pm Post subject:

Hmmm...I guess alternative treatments / solutions are not that easy to follow. Thanks for the heads up, jgoole.

I'll look up that info you just shared. You've been very helpful.