Garlic Powder to Prevent Ticks

In some areas of the country, ticks can be a big problem, especially for dogs that spend a lot of time outside. Some dog owners, though, do not like to use chemicals to help prevent their dog from getting bitten by ticks. For those who do not want to use chemical treatments, garlic powder offers an effective natural method to prevent ticks on your dog.

  1. Garlic Safety

    • While garlic is a food product that can be consumed, some dog owners and veterinarians worry about its safety when used on dogs. The components that make up garlic can be dangerous to your dog if used in doses that are too large. If you give your dog too much garlic, it can cause issues with your dog's red blood cells, causing its body to reject the cells. Therefore, it is important to use the appropriate dose for your dog's size.

    How Much?

    • Garlic powder is generally a small amount of garlic in comparison to giving your dog fresh garlic. While you must know the weight of your dog to figure out how much garlic is safe, garlic powder doses are based on the amount of food your dog eats. As a rule of thumb, you can give your dog 1/8 of a teaspoon for each pound of food your dog eats. This works well since a smaller dog will eat less food than a larger dog, thus factoring in weight to the dosage. It is safe to give your dog garlic powder in its food up to four times a week.

    Effectiveness

    • As your dog metabolizes the garlic powder in its system, the scent and taste of the garlic exits through the dog's skin. This makes the skin unappealing to pests, such as ticks. Ticks must bite into the skin to access the blood below the surface. Garlic provides a smell that does not appeal to the ticks, keeping them from biting into your dog, even if they happen to fall onto your dog from the trees or bushes. Some reports recommend adding the garlic powder to brewer's yeast for additional effectiveness.

    Other Uses

    • Garlic powder can work well for other purposes as well as for repelling ticks. Fleas also do not like the smell of garlic and will stay away from your dog if he eats garlic on a regular basis. The components in garlic are also good for other areas of the dog's health, including cardiovascular health, liver function and cholesterol. Some dogs are more prone to these issues than others. In addition, garlic can also boost a dog's immune system, helping it fight any infections, including bacterial and viral infections.