Frequently-Asked Questions
|
| Question |
| Is it OK to give my pet a garlic pill once a week? |
| Answer |
| We do not recommend feeding garlic or onions to dogs or cats because there is a potentially serious downside. Onions and garlic contain an alkaloid disulfide compound that is toxic to red blood cell membranes and irreversibly denatures hemoglobin. This compound is toxic to several species including dogs and cats.
A Heinz body hemolytic anemia has been documented in dogs consuming relatively small amounts of raw, cooked and even dehydrated onions. Cat red blood cells develop Heinz bodies also after consuming onions. There have been reports of anemia, dermatitis and asthmatic attacks after the long term feeding of garlic and garlic extracts to dogs. The possibility of developing a Heinz body hemolytic anemia appears to be variable between pets, and it is not possible to predict which animals may or may not have such a reaction to onion or garlic.
Please see information on feeding garlic and onions to pets in our Nutrition Library for more details and references. |
|
| |
 |
