Posted by IsoM on February 21, 2003, at 13:51:35
In reply to Re: Garlic and Cats, posted by kara lynne on February 21, 2003, at 12:24:41
Kara Lynne, I didn't mean to that I was referring to you. When I said 'people assume' I meant too many alternative or holistic sorts who don't check into the biochemistry of cats as compared to people.
Yes, there are many (TOO many) herbal remedies for cats that contain garlic. It's thought to help ward off fleas, acts as an anti-oxidant, & have protective properties against heart problems.
The trouble is it helps with fleas but there's better remedies that are less harmful.
Garlic has anti-oxidant features for humans but by destroying that enzyme I mentioned in cats, it only makes *their* red blood cells oxidize & break down easier.
And cats, if they're not fed a diet similar to humans with trans-fatty acids & such, have no need of the blood thinning properties of garlic. An anti-coagulant does them more harm than help.
Just because someone has formulated a herbal boost for pets, it doesn't necessarily mean they know enough to make it helpful. The FDA doesn't regulate herbs, let alone pets, as far as I know (I'm Canadian). Not even all vets know about this sort of thing as they're trained in surgery & conventional meds for pets.
poster:IsoM
thread:201723
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030215/msgs/202522.html