The Protective Benefits of Garlic for Dogs Battling Cancer

There’s a common misconception that garlic is horrible for our dogs. Contrary to popular belief, garlic is incredibly healthy in the right quantities. And, it could help in the fight against cancer!

The Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is also beneficial in boosting your dog’s immune system and, therefore, fighting illnesses. It works as a natural antibiotic and helps fight tumors. And, it contains the following nutrients:

• Vitamin C: An essential antioxidant that aids in the body’s immune system, wound healing, and absorption of iron.
• Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine): Involved in amino acid metabolism, red blood cell production, and neurotransmitter synthesis.
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Plays a crucial role in converting nutrients into energy.
• Folate: Helps in the formation of DNA and is especially important during periods of rapid growth, like pregnancy and fetal development.
• Manganese: An essential trace element that plays a role in bone development, blood clotting, and reducing inflammation.
• Selenium: A trace mineral with antioxidant properties that can help defend against oxidative stress and inflammation.
• Calcium: Essential for bone health, nerve transmission, and muscle function.
• Copper: Important for various enzymatic reactions and also plays a role in iron metabolism.
• Potassium: Helps in maintaining blood pressure levels, fluid balance, and the proper functioning of muscles and nerves.
• Iron: Vital for the production of red blood cells and DNA synthesis.
• Phosphorus: Helps in the formation of bones and teeth and plays a role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats.
• Zinc: Important for growth, immune function, testosterone metabolism, and numerous other functions in the body.

When all of these benefits are combined, imagine how much they could help your dog.

Garlic for Dogs With Cancer

Garlic has been promising in research for its use in reducing the risk of colon, lung, rectal, and stomach cancer in dogs. And, garlic has been found to:

• Detox: Garlic can be used to detox your dog’s body. There are some nutrients that can help your dog’s liver function better by removing harmful toxins that have built up in the body.
• Immune system booster: Garlic contains compounds like allicin, which may have immune-boosting properties. This could be potentially beneficial for dogs with compromised immune systems due to cancer or its treatment.
• Antioxidant properties: Garlic has antioxidant compounds that can help combat oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress can promote cancer development, so there’s some interest in the potential of antioxidants to aid in cancer prevention or support.
• Anti-inflammatory effects: Chronic inflammation can contribute to various diseases, including cancer. Garlic has compounds that might have anti-inflammatory properties, potentially aiding in reducing inflammation in the body.
• Potential anti-cancer properties: Some studies (mostly in vitro or in rodents) have shown that garlic extracts or compounds might slow the growth of cancer cells or induce cancer cell death. However, these findings don’t necessarily translate directly to dogs or to in vivo applications.
• Antibacterial and antifungal: While not directly related to cancer, garlic does have known antibacterial and antifungal properties, which can be useful if a dog has secondary infections or is vulnerable due to other treatments.

Garlic, in moderation, can also be beneficial for healthy dogs in preventing cancer and boosting immunity in addition to the health benefits listed above.

Why Do Dog Lovers Believe Garlic is Bad?

The misconception that garlic is bad for our dogs is the result of a study where researchers used FAR too much garlic. The study found that, using too much garlic, can lead our dogs’ bodies to develop Heinz body anemia.

But, wait! How much garlic did they use in this study, exactly? Well, it would be equivalent to your Labradoodle eating 75 cloves of garlic in one sitting. Yes, that’s what we said. 75 cloves! WE would be sick if we ate that much, too!

Don’t feed your dog 75 cloves, it wouldn’t be good. But one clove each day could be incredibly beneficial!

Feed in Moderation

The bottom line is, too much of a good thing isn’t always a good thing. Feed everything in moderation. And now that you know the benefits of garlic, dice up one clove and add it to your dog’s diet to reduce cancer risk or aid in the fight against cancer.

To learn more about this topic, visit these studies:

Anti-Cancer Potential of Homemade Fresh Garlic Extract Is Related to Increased Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress
Aged Garlic and Cancer: A Systematic Review – PMC
Phytochemicals of garlic: Promising candidates for cancer therapy – ScienceDirect
Garlic constituents for cancer prevention and therapy: From phytochemistry to novel formulations – ScienceDirect