What Should I Do If My Dog Eats Garlic?

Finding out that your dog has eaten some garlic can be a very frightening situation, especially if your dog is showing signs of being sick from it. Having a clear plan to follow during a frightening situation like this can help you take the steps needed to help your pet and potentially even save their life.

All forms of garlic are potentially toxic to dogs. As a result, there are some things that you should do if you find that your dog has eaten garlic. The first thing that you should do is take the garlic away from your dog and assess the situation. After you have done this then you should call your vet immediately and follow their instructions exactly.

In this article, we will lay out what dog owners should do if their dog eats garlic in several simple steps. Having a plan like this in place allows dog owners to work quickly and get their pet to safety. In addition to this, we will also explain what kinds of garlic are potentially toxic to dogs. Let’s get into it.

Is Garlic Dangerous to Dogs?

Yes, garlic is potentially dangerous to dogs. This is because garlic and related plants such as onions are toxic to dogs. Garlic can cause anemia and signs of toxicity when eaten in high enough amounts. All forms of garlic are potentially toxic to dogs. These forms of garlic include:

• Raw garlic
• Cooked garlic
• Garlic powder
• Garlic paste
• Pickled garlic
• Liquid garlic
• Garlic oil
• Any food with any type of garlic in it

Since any form of garlic is potentially poisonous to dogs, you should follow our guide on what to do if your dog eats garlic, regardless of what kind of garlic they eat. You should also call your vet about your dog eating garlic no matter how much they weigh or how much garlic they consume.

What Should You Do If Your Dog Eats Garlic?

Having a plan for exactly what you should do if your dog eats garlic will allow you to react swiftly and take the necessary action needed to help your pet. In some cases, this could potentially save a dog’s life. Here is a step-by-step guide for what dog owners should do if their dog eats garlic.

Put The Garlic Out of Your Dog’s Reach

The first thing that you should do is remove the garlic from your dog’s reach to prevent them from eating any more of it. This could also potentially save your dog from eating enough garlic to have a toxic reaction to it. This includes any form of garlic and any food that has garlic in it.

Don’t Panic

Even though your first instinct may be to go into panic mode after your dog eats garlic, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm is the best first step that you can take. Take a deep breath, collect your thoughts, and properly assess the situation. Even though it may seem that you are wasting precious seconds, doing this actually saves the time that you need and allows you to respond effectively.

Have An Idea About How Much Your Dog Weighs

In these situations, it is important to have at least a general idea about how much your dog weighs. This is because the toxicity of garlic changes depending on how heavy a dog is. This means that garlic is much more toxic to a 6-pound dog than it is to a 100-pound dog. However, you should still follow these steps no matter how much your dog weighs.

Assess The Situation

The next thing that you should do is assess the situation. Take note of what type of garlic your dog has eaten and approximately how much. Knowing these things along with your dog’s weight will be useful to the vet.

Signs of Garlic Poisoning in Dogs

It is also a good idea to take note of how your dog is acting after eating garlic. This could give you some clues as to if your dog is experiencing garlic poisoning or not. Typically, the more garlic that a dog eats, the more severe their symptoms of garlic poisoning are. Similarly, smaller dogs are technically more at risk of garlic poisoning than large dogs are. Some symptoms of garlic poisoning in dogs include but may not be limited to:

• Lethargy
• Pale gums
• Collapse
• Yellow skin and eyes
• Bloody urine
• Elevated heart rate
• Difficulty breathing
• Signs of anemia
• Vomiting and diarrhea

It can take up to several days for dogs to show signs of garlic poisoning. As a result, you should call your vet regardless of if they are exhibiting signs of garlic poisoning or not. However, taking note of any symptoms could be useful to your vet.

Call Your Vet

Next, you should call your vet or an emergency vet immediately. Having a vet on the phone will allow you to make the next steps under a professional’s instruction. This is especially true if you need to perform some steps such as inducing vomiting before taking your dog to the vet.

Follow Your Vet’s Instructions

When calling your vet, they may give you some instructions before making the trip to the vet. This is normally done if a dog needs induced vomiting. If your vet does this, then it is crucial that you follow these instructions exactly. Please note that you should never induce a dog’s vomiting without a vet’s instruction.

Take Your Dog to The Vet

After you have done everything that the vet has told you to do then you should take your dog to the vet immediately. This is because dogs will usually still need veterinary care after consuming garlic. The only time that you should not take your dog to the vet after eating garlic is if a vet explicitly tells you not to do so.

Conclusion

If you find that your dog consumed garlic, take the garlic away from them, assess the situation, and call the vet immediately.

At Bottletree Animal Hospital, our staff is equipped to answer any questions you may have regarding your pet’s health. Give us a call at (662) 234-4336 so we can care for you and your pet.