http://www.care2.com/greenliving/garlic-and-your-pets.html
Garlic and Your Pets
Adapted from The Healthy Pet Manual: A Guide to the Prevention and Treatment of Cancer by Deborah Straw (Healing Arts Press, 2005).
Garlic has been given medicinally to humans and animals for at least 4,000 years. In the past 20 years, 2,000 studies have been performed on garlic’s impact on our most serious, widespread illnesses. One report concluded that the herb may have direct benefits against the “seven major diseases of our time: Hypertension, hyperlipemia (high cholesterol), heavy metal intoxication, infectious disease, free-radical damage, cancer and immune deficiency disease.”
According to Walter Last’s research, garlic protects against metastases and inhibits the growth of existing tumors. It also strengthens the immune system and allows the liver to detoxify more effectively.
Cats’ immune systems can easily become compromised from poor diet, stress, disease, breeding and showing and aging. Garlic is one herb that can help rebuild the immune system. It has been shown, through a variety of experiments, to be effective against viral infections, parasites and fungal infections. Fresh garlic is sometimes used to treat fleas, but garlic salt and garlic flavoring do not work. One drawback is that garlic may cause anemia if given for long periods of time.
In her 1999 book, Keep Your Dog Healthy the Natural Way, medical writer Pat Lazarus lists garlic as one of several nutritional supports for canine cancer patients. Based on veterinarians’ reports, she recommends garlic tablets (Garlkicin or Kyolic); give one tablet daily to a small dog, two to three tablets twice daily to a larger dog.
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- Rachel Markel says
- May 1, 2008 7:17 PM
I have three dogs and here's what I know to be true.
Both garlic and onion can be toxic to dogs, cats, and other animals. Cats appear to be more sensitive than dogs. In dogs and cats, onions and garlic can cause a breakdown of the red blood cells, resulting in Heinz body anemia. The bulbs, bulbets, flowers, and stems of the garlic and onion can all be toxic. There are some human baby foods that have onion in them, and it is not recommended to feed them to pets. The very small amounts of garlic that are present in some commercial pet foods have not been shown to cause any problems.
Garlic is a natural blood thinner for people so I assume it has a profound effect on little animals, hence the anemia.
- Lia De Ruiter says
- May 1, 2008 7:40 AM
I have been studying dog- and cat nutrition for quite some time now, I have many books on the subject and have followed lectures by vets and raw feeders. I have been taught that a little amount of garlic given to dogs and/or cats, for a short amount of time, can kill worms and other parasites, but that specially cats can become anemic from regular doses of garlic. I do sometimes give them garlic, but that is just to prevent them to get worms and flees (never have them!), but I only give them garlic for two or three days about once every 3 months.
My dog gets garlic more frequently (for about 4 days once a month).
About essential oils (like tea-tree oil): I have heard that cats cannot "digest" and get rid of the residues of essential oils; they store them in their bodies. That is why essential oils are essentially bad for cats!
- Michelle Bello says
- Apr 30, 2008 6:19 PM
Lost my last sentence! Re: Daisy the Biter--I am cautious around her! When she is turning into Daisy the Villain, her pupils dilate and look huge--kind of scary! :( Anyway, gives me a chance to step back before I'm nipped!
- Michelle Bello says
- Apr 30, 2008 6:16 PM
Our vet told us to NEVER give garlic or onion to our cats and that both are bad for felines. To Jill M. above: I have to guess that your vet is testing your cat, looking for the cause of weight loss. We had two cats lose weight because they were hyperthyroid; tapazole 1-2X a day took care of that, and one of them did undergo the I-131 (isotope injected under skin of cat) treatment to achieve an instant cure for her hyperthyroidism. Re: tooth loss--Dental disease can lead to heart problems and other problems. I have never brushed my cats' teeth, but I wish I had gotten into the habit of doing so. We have one wonderful kitty who is over 17 yo; she's just a joy to have around and my husband dotes on her (will be really tough on him when we eventually lose Chloe); we have two who are over 16 yo; one who is 15 yo; and a very hyper, crabby "biter" who is around 7 yo. However, we recently discovered that Daisy the Biter is soothed when we give her a strand of uncooked spaghetti (usually linguine because it doesn't break as easily). We just slide the strand along Daisy's face and she becomes calm almost immediately. I have but to open a cabinet, reach for the pasta box, and give it a shake; Daisy runs to the edge or her "island"--she chooses to spend most of her time on our kitchen island so that Garfield (16+ yo, on tapazole, NEUTERED, and considers Daisy to be HIS [Chloe is "wife," but he still wants Daisy, too]) won't catch her. Likes stroking, but still nips! So I'
- Jeanine Parrish says
- Apr 30, 2008 3:55 PM
I was reading an issue of "Cat Fancy" and it said that new studies show that garlic can give your cats cancer...Is this true?
- Katie Blackshear says
- Apr 30, 2008 11:52 AM
I agree. I also read that is can possibly shut down the liver and kidneys. I'd rather not take a chance with my "children".
- Tammy C. says
- Apr 28, 2008 3:28 PM
I would not give garlic to a cat, especially one that is older or has a suppressed immune system from CRF ect. An article here on Care 2 posted in 2000 even warns of the dangers of feeding garlic to cats. This is an excerpt of the article "Avoid using raw garlic with your feline: it can cause a dangerous form of anemia and even lead to death". http://www.care2.com/greenliving/safe-flea-repellents-for-cats.html
The dangerous form of anemia mentioned is Heinz Body Anemia and can also be caused by onions.
- Pattie P. says
- Apr 26, 2008 10:28 AM
thats just like tea tree oil..sometimes I read its toxic and sometimes its good to use with cats...got me????
- Jill M. says
- Apr 25, 2008 2:53 PM
Incidentally, that is *not* Callie in the profile photo. . .that's Patches, our "cyber kitty".
- Jill M. says
- Apr 25, 2008 2:51 PM
I can't honestly say myself, but since I have to bring one of our "girls" into the vet during the first week of May for a diagnosis, I can find out about garlic at that time. Our Callie lost a tooth recently and lots of weight (she's down to around 5 pounds), and we need to know how bad the news is going to be. Callie's around 7 years old, just as a point of reference.
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