As far as garlic goes-there is a reason it works to keep fleas away--it's toxic. I realize that several commercial dog foods contain garlic--Brands that I don't buy. This one isn't subjective--toxicity has been proven, why risk it? Even if it's only toxic in large amounts, how hard would it be to accidentally overdose your dog:
Say you feed a dog food with a bit of garlic in it and then...
You top dress it with powdered garlic to ward off fleas and then... you feed your dog a bit of pot roast that's been cooked with onions (same toxin) and then...you give it some leftovers containing onions from the fridge...and then your dog gets sick and you don't know why....
That's not too far-fetched of a scenario.
Avocados:
From ASPCA's webby:
Avocado
"Did You Know
Avocado (Persea americana) is not an advisable food to give to pets? Avocado leaves, fruit, seeds and bark contain a toxic principle known as Persin. The Guatemalan variety, which is the most common variety found in stores, appears to be the most problematic.
The primary concern in dogs is with gastrointestinal (GI) irritation, including vomiting and diarrhea. Typically, these effects occur in dogs that have scavenged on significant quantities of fruit, branches or other material from the plant. Birds and rodents appear to be particularly sensitive, and can develop respiratory distress, generalized congestion, fluid accumulation around the tissues of the heart, and possibly death from consuming avocado."
From the Journal of Veterinary Medicine:
"Most animals that suffer toxic side affects after eating avocado plants are horses or other livestock, especially in rural tropical climates. This includes South America, Africa and the U.S., due to the strong consumer demand for this rich fruit. Unfortunately, some animals have been intentionally fed both whole and ground avocado trees or branches as a feed supplement to clear land and save money.3
Other cases of animal poisonings have been reported in mice, rabbits, dogs and in birds. Drying of the plant does not as modify the toxic chemical(s) in avocado.
From the LA County Dept of Animal Care and Control
"Avocado. Cases of avocado poisoning are seen periodically in Los Angeles County animals. Commercial production of avocados is located primarily in southern California and Florida. Two types of avocados are grown in California (Mexican and Guatemalan) and toxicity varies. Toxicity may also vary depending upon the time of year and other factors that are poorly understood. Various species of animals are susceptible to avocado poisoning. Dried avocado seed can kill mice."
Do your own research and feed at your own risk.
