Garlic for Flea & Tick Control

Not only are fleas and ticks annoying to pets and people, but they also cause disease, including tapeworm and Lyme disease. Some dog owners believe garlic is a safe repellent of these parasites because it's natural. But natural does not always mean safe or effective.

  1. Garlic for Flea Control

    • Controlled scientific studies have shown garlic is not an effective flea repellent, states Purdue University. This is confirmed by Colorado State University's Dr. Narda G. Robinson, veterinarian and author of the article "Natural Approaches for Flea Control," as well as Dr. Debra Primovic in her article "16 Common Dog Myths." Most veterinarians as well as the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine also agree there is no scientific evidence garlic repels fleas.

    Garlic for Tick Control

    • Studies do not support claims that garlic is an effective tick repellent, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in their 'Tick Management Handbook." The North Carolina State University-North Carolina A&T State University Cooperative Extension as well as Purdue University confirm this. MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, agrees there is weak scientific evidence of garlic's effectiveness to repel ticks and that further and better-designed studies are needed.

    The Dangers of Garlic

    • If your dog ingests a large amount of garlic, a toxic ingredient in the herb, thiosulphate, can cause the dog's red blood cells to become fragile and break apart, warns Dr. Dawn Ruben in her article "Dangerous Foods: Are They Harmful to Your Dog?" Further, if your dog is not treated by a veterinarian, it can suffer from severe anemias and may even die. While the dose given to prevent fleas and ticks might be small, it is simply best to avoid it.