Q. You wrote that people should not give their dogs garlic to control fleas because it could cause anemia. I gave my dog fresh garlic for years. She had a horrible flea allergy and nothing else helped at all. Without the garlic she was miserable.
I kept telling my vet that the garlic was what was helping her, though he would never admit it. By the way, she lived to be 16 years old. You really shouldn’t knock the garlic.
A. Several other readers agree with you, including some veterinarians. One wrote: “I am a holistic veterinarian with 30 years experience. During that time none of my canine patients have had anemia from garlic. Onions, yes; garlic, no. I don’t want dog owners to worry unnecessarily.”
Onions can be toxic to dogs and cats because they contain n-propyl disulfide that can damage the membranes of red blood cells. Garlic also contains this compound, but it seems to pose less of a problem. Rely on your vet for advice.
