The sense and nonsense about garlic.
Garlic – versatile and safe
By Lisa Newman – February 10, 2017
Learn and understand the myths surrounding garlic and its supposed toxicity, and discover its many health benefits for dogs and cats. When it comes to your patients' health—whether preventative or curative—you need accurate information about safety and benefits. Garlic, used for centuries as a medicinal herb and FDA-approved for animal feed, continues to face criticism, despite a 2004 follow-up study recommending garlic for dogs by the majority of scientists involved in a 2000 Japanese study. Even the ASPCA Poison Hotline has added garlic to its list of toxins, although as of 2014, they reported no individual cases linked to garlic consumption, as is the case with most other toxins.
Garlic has excellent properties, but the same rule applies to all herbs: more is not better. (Source: Mary L. Wulff-Tilford on garlic - Herbs for Pets)
Advantages
For centuries, people have used herbs, and garlic is a primary remedy for a wide range of symptoms. As long as people have used garlic, they've also fed it to their pets; some animals enjoy foraging for it, as my dog, Lady, did.
Garlic's properties are far-reaching, easily absorbed, and safe. Over the past 80 years, during the resurgence of holistic medicine in the United States, garlic has been at the forefront of both human and animal care. Every herbal book I've researched that mentions pets recommends it, primarily for its incredible antiparasitic, anticancer, and antiseptic properties. In my own experience, garlic has helped animals with Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis), heartworm/flea/tick infestations, IBS, diabetes, liver, heart, and kidney disease, allergies, uncontrollable staph infections (which don't respond to antibiotics), and countless other conditions. Garlic is also a staple in my preventative protocols.
Garlic has been used safely for over 30 years by hundreds of thousands of Azmira pet owners, with no reported serious negative side effects – other than garlic breath.
Separating facts from fiction
In recent decades, primarily due to onion's reputation for causing Heinz-body hemolytic anemia due to its higher thiosulfate concentration, garlic (onion's "cousin") has also been considered toxic. However, garlic simply doesn't contain the same concentration of thiosulfate as onion. It is barely detectable and easily excreted. "When testing onions and garlic for blood cell oxidation in dogs, onions have approximately 15 times the potential to damage red blood cells than garlic," states nutritionist Dr. Dave Summers on IndigoPetz.com.
Nearly all the "evidence" against garlic in dogs comes from a 2000 study at Hokkaido University. Four dogs were each given 1.25 ml of garlic extract per kg of body weight for seven days. For a 23 kg dog, that would be about 25 large, raw garlic cloves. None of the dogs showed any outward signs of toxicity, but there was an effect on red blood cells, although no anemia developed at these extremely high doses.
However, a 2004 study by Chang et al. clearly demonstrated that allicin is beneficial for mammalian health, and there were no reports of hemolytic anemia despite high garlic concentrations. "Contrary to previous belief, the maximum aggregation rate returned to control levels at 1 mM alk(en)yl thiosulfates in both canine and human platelets," instead of remaining high enough to cause problems. This prompted the scientists to reverse their previous 2000 recommendation against garlic for dogs and instead recommend garlic for promoting immune function and preventing cardiovascular disease.
There can be several causes for Heinz-body hemolytic anemia. Veterinarian Wendy Wallner points out that other substances such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and topical preparations containing benzocaine can also cause this anemia in dogs. These preparations likely explain many cases, as ingredients in creams are absorbed through the skin and accumulate toxins in the bloodstream.
Uses of garlic
Garlic works through physical mechanisms. It can interfere with medications, especially blood thinners, so investigate potential interactions. While herbs and supplements are "natural," they must be approached with respect and thorough research to realize their full value.
Powdered garlic and encapsulated dried herbs are less effective. "Deodorized" garlic lacks active allicin (enzymatic action has a noticeable odor). Glycerol suspensions form a moisture barrier that inhibits absorption through mucous membranes and cells. Cold-pressed garlic maximizes the benefits – Azmira's Garlic Daily Aid is 1000 mg of cold-pressed garlic plus 500 mg of parsley oil in individual gel capsules, which also protect against oxygen exposure.
Sulphur-containing compounds in garlic
Garlic contains several sulfur-containing compounds – alliin (a sulfoxide) and alliinase (an enzyme). When garlic is chopped, crushed, minced, or chewed, the alliinase enzyme activates and combines with alliin to produce allicin, the therapeutic component. Heat inactivates enzymes, so wait at least ten minutes after chopping to allow the reaction to complete – maximizing the therapeutic value. Allicin is heat-stable.
Safe garlic dosages for dogs and cats.
Many veterinarians and authors follow the dosage recommendations from Juliette de Bairacli Levy's book, The Complete Herbal Book for the Dog:
4.5 to 7 kg – ½ toe
9 to 18 kg – 1 toe
20 to 32 kg – 2 toes
34 to 41 kg – 2½ toes
45 kg and over – 3 toes
A 2008 report from the National Research Council is more conservative. While the committee could not establish a safe upper intake level for dogs, cats, and horses, it recommends a range based on historical safe intakes (HSI) and estimated safe intakes (PSI):
Based on a 3g toe, the PSI is for:
A 23 kg dog: 1.2 g or approx. ½ toe per day
A cat of 7 kg: 0.12 g or approx. 1/25 toe per day
A horse of 385 kg: 34.8 g or approx. 11 toes per day
Keep in mind that cloves vary widely (3-7g). As with any herb, take a week off from garlic every few months.
"Garlic is probably one of the most useful herbs you can give your dog." (Source: Nutritionist Dr. Ian Billinghurst on garlic, taken from "Give Your Dog A Bone." Give Your Dog A Bone is Dr. Ian Billinghurst's seminal book. It was published on November 17, 1993, and was an instant hit. Many breeders embraced the concept. The book found its way to tens of thousands of breeders and dog owners worldwide.
Precautionary measures
Garlic is safe to use as long as you don't overdose, and keep the following in mind:
Choose natural products that don't use garlic extract from China (often contaminated with arsenic, lead, and added sulfites). Our company uses exclusive Spanish garlic sourced from GlobalGAP-certified farms in La Mancha, guaranteeing full traceability.
The amounts of garlic we use in our exclusive BF® garlic products, including garlic tablets for cats and dogs, BF® garlic bonbons, and BF® 3-in-1 garlic & herb biscuits for dogs, fall well within the safe garlic dosages specified by the NVIC department of UMC Utrecht , in collaboration with the University Clinic for Companion Animal Health , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht, in their information for veterinary training and veterinary specializations. Garlic, like water, can be toxic in excessive amounts , a fact often overlooked. This refers to large quantities that a dog or cat would never ingest orally.
Raw garlic fed directly is rich in insoluble fiber and sulfur compounds, which can be a problem for dogs with mouth ulcers, esophageal obstructions, reflux, IBS, or colitis. The main drawback is the odor.
At the dosages above, garlic is safe, even for pregnant bitches. The only caveat: excessive amounts can impart a garlic flavor to lactating bitches' milk and discourage puppies from drinking. If lactation is problematic, start with small doses.
Author profile: Lisa Newman
Dr. Lisa Newman is internationally renowned as a natural pet care pioneer and formulator of over 100 products, plus over 800 protocols for all types of pet and human conditions. These are used to supplement her Holistic Animals Care LifeStyle®. She is a researcher, educator, author of nine books, and has been a speaker/spokesperson since 1982. Dr. Newman has spoken internationally at many venues, including the Equinox National Convention and the Sonoran Veterinary Conference in San Carlos, Mexico. Her work has been used at the Veterinary College, Holistic Animal Care School of Osaka, Japan. Dr. Newman donates products and time to many pet-related organizations. azmira.com
Source: vcjournal.com
References
1. Summers D. “Understanding Garlic”. IndigoPetz.com (October 10, 2013).
2. Lee KW et al. “Hematologic changes...”. Am J Vet Res. 2000 Nov;61(11):1446-50.
3. Chang HS et al. “Acceleration of superoxide generation in polymorphonuclear leukocytes and inhibition of platelet aggregation by alk(en)yl thiosulfates derived from onion and garlic in dogs and humans”. Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, 060-0818 Sapporo, Japan, 2004.
4. Riviere JE et al. “Safety of Dietary Supplements for Horses, Dogs, and Cats”. National Academy of Sciences, 2008.
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