Can Dogs Eat Garlic Powder?

The Short Answer is:

Garlic powder can be eaten by your dog. If you use very small amounts to add flavor to your dog’s food or for medicinal purposes, you are unlikely to harm them, but you might be unable to help them either. The problem with garlic is that it is toxic to dogs in all its forms. If a dog consumes too much of it, it may poison them or even kill them.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Can Dogs Eat Garlic Powder?“.

The oldest known food is garlic which dates back 5000 years.

Since it can add a great deal of flavor to even the most simple dishes it is no wonder why it is so popular around the world. 

It is estimated that every American consumes the equivalent of 2.4 pounds of garlic per year.

Approximately 400 million pounds of fruits and vegetables are grown in the US each year. 

It might sound like a lot but its not when you consider that China produces about 22 million tonnes a year.

One interesting fact in an article about garlic powder is that 75% of the garlic eaten is dehydrated. 

Our world is busy and hectic which should come as no surprise.

If garlic powder is good for us what about our dogs?

Prior to diving deeper into the topic I’m going to provide a very quick answer to your question.

Can dogs eat garlic powder?

Garlic powder can be eaten by your dog. 

If you use very small amounts to add flavor to your dogs food or for medicinal purposes you are unlikely to harm them but you might be unable to help them either.

But that is another story altogether.

The problem with garlic is that it is toxic to dogs in all its forms.

If a dog consumes too much of it it may poison them or even kill them.

As always the amount of garlic your dog ate will depend on their weight in relation to the amount they ate.

However for most dogs the amount of garlic they would need to consume would be overwhelming.

Even so why would you want to risk harming your dog if you know it might harm it?

Let me tell you a little more about all this…

What is garlic powder?

100% garlic is used to make garlic powder.

When we know how much garlic is used in garlic powder we can determine whether it is toxic for our dogs or not. 

If you did not do some research on the topic garlic powder might also have contained other ingredients.

By having to do the result I do not know if I look foolish or merely extremely cautious!

Garlic is peeled dried (or heated) sliced ground or minced until its particles are the right size. 

Garlic powder vs fresh garlic

Its obvious that we will make our lives easier and more convenient in the modern world if we can.

Among those conveniences is garlic powder. 

It seems like a big hassle to deal with fresh garlic does not it?

Peeling crushing chopping and cleaning up are all involved.

Its impossible for anyone not to want to use a powder jar right?

This is a much faster method of using garlic with much less mess.

According to what I understand garlic powder lasts up to two years before it becomes stale. 

Other forms of garlic

Garlic powder is available as well which comes as no surprise considering how popular and prevalent it is. 

Among these are garlic granules and chopped granules.

Fresh garlic is chopped up and placed in a glass jar

Garlic powder does not have the same potency or strength as fresh garlic so these hydrated products are better for people who believe garlic powder does not equal fresh garlic.

Using garlic with dogs

Our food is flavored with garlic for most of us.

The smell of garlic being fried in a pan is a feast for the nostrils of some of us.

Its not so important to others!

As a condiment for dog food garlic powder appears to be common use when it comes to dogs.

A great way to spice up that boring bowl of kibble or to encourage your picky eater to eat more. 

Nevertheless this humble plant has much more to offer than just-food.

Dogs are commonly treated with garlic as a home remedy for everything from fleas and ticks to high blood pressure and weak immune systems. 

Additionally it has many powerful health benefits for humans- uses that date back thousands of years. 

Is garlic toxic to dogs?

Unfortunately dogs cannot consume garlic.

One of those rare foods that are totally safe for people (unless you count “garlic” breath) but could be hazardous to dogs.  

The thiosulfate substance contained in the product cannot be digested by a dog so it is poisonous to the dog.

Hemoglobin clumps as a result of the reaction causing red blood cells to be destroyed.

When enough thiosulphate is consumed and enough red blood cells are destroyed the dog may starve to death.

Garlic isnot the only ingredient

There is a family of vegetables poisonous to dogs among which garlic is one member.

Other members of the allium family include onions shallots leeks and cloves. 

The levels of thiosulphate in garlic appear to be higher than in other members of the family.

How much garlic powder can kill a dog?

This problem can be solved in two ways.

A rough guideline is between 15- 30g of garlic per kilogram of a dogs body weight can cause a toxic reaction. 

Therefore my 30 kg Golden Retriever would need to consume at least 450g of garlic which may mean consuming up to 90 garlic cloves.

That would be how many jars of garlic powder?

Alternatively a dog should not consume more than 0.5% of its body weight. 

To make it easier heres a translation. 

Also a lower limit is given for how much garlic should be consumed.

I have a 30 kg dog. .5% of their weight is 150 grams.

This means they should not consume more than 150 grams of fresh garlic or garlic powder per day. 

The numbers are very confusing when they vary so much (450 g vs 150 g) and when the numbers seem so high.

150 grams of garlic powder is a huge amount of garlic a colossal amount. 

The threat is much greater if you have a Chihuahua which weighs in at just 3kg so the amount of garlic or onion you have to consume is much less. 

Garlic is causing more concern

In this discussion it is also important to remember that not every dog will react the same way to thiosulphate poisoning.

Some dogs will be more vulnerable than others.

A puppy that hasnot fully developed yet and an older dog with a less efficient body are two dogs to watch out for.

Additionally dogs with pre-existing conditions.

A dog with a known blood disorder may be at an increased risk of thiosulphate poisoning as well since thiosulphate targets the blood.

How fast is garlic poisoning?

In the past I have not explained that thiosulphate toxicity can result from a one-time event or can be part of a process that takes place over several days.

Heres how it works.

It is possible for your dog to be poisoned if he eats too much garlic at one meal or over the course of the day or even a week.

If you have just begun adding garlic to your dogs meals as natural flea treatment the garlic that you have added to one meal is not likely to harm them.

However over time as you continue to feed them garlic the toxins will build up in their system and as a consequence of all that garlic your dog might become sick. 

What are the symptoms of garlic poisoning?

In case your dog has been poisoned by all the garlic they have eaten there are some key behaviors you should be on the lookout for.

As it is for humans your dogs breath will smell bad if it has eaten too much garlic.

There are also other symptoms such as red or pink urine increased heart rate panting pale gums vomiting and diarrhea.

Your vet should be contacted as soon as possible if you think your dog is suffering from these symptoms after eating garlic.

As an alternative you can contact the Pet Poison Helpline.

These experts specialize in poisons and are available 24 hours a day. 

Any advice you receive will be charged a fee of $65 per hour. 

Garlic powder alternatives

I would like to suggest a safer alternative to you if you are using garlic powder to spice up dull kibble or entice a picky eater to eat more food.

I would not recommend switching out garlic powder for ginger powder or anything like that.

There is no doubt that my alternative will be a very tasty healthy alternative that will appeal to even the most reluctant eaters.

The risk of poisoning is zero. 

You are making bone broth to add to your dogs food.

Certainly it is more involved than simply sprinkling powder on food.

Even so the recipe is very simple it is the length of time it needs to cook that is the trick.

Is garlic powder toxic to our dogs? An alternative view

Almost all of the information I have presented in this article comes from a majority view which says do not feed your dog garlic in any form. 

Garlic is safe for dogs but there are experienced people who think otherwise.

Garlic is not toxic as has been suggested by warnings and studies. 

I’m not talking about weird conspiracy theories here. I’m talking about established veterans. 

Among them is Dr. Lisa Newman who wrote an article arguing that most animal professionals are wrong about the dangers garlic poses to dogs. 

This is a thought-provoking and well-written article. 

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.