Read This Before Giving Your Dog Milk Thistle!

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You’ll be happy to hear that canines can benefit from milk thistle as well.

AKA Silybum marianum, this flowery plant is a useful supplement for people and their dogs!

Can I Give My Dog Milk Thistle?Being a holistic remedy, it’s most notable for its ability to prevent and even repair the liver through detoxification. It can be equally cleansing for your dog!

Milk Thistle Works For Dogs Too

This natural herb is safe when given in reasonable amounts.

Natural detox treatment also makes sense for animals. Keep reading to learn about specific reasons you’d want to consider providing this supplement.

Hounds And Heartworms

Heart worm disease is a reality for many dogs especially when mosquitoes are present.

It can do serious organ damage, particularly the liver, and sometimes medicines used to treat it cause serious harm.

That’s why supplementing a dog’s heartworm treatment with milk thistle makes a lot of sense. Again, it is a great natural liver detox and preferable to chemically-laced tick or flea prevention products.

Be sure to talk with your vet about using milk thistle with a deworming treatment.

In Cases of Pet Poisoning

Milk thistle can be a life saver because it can help to cleanse the body of toxins.

For example:

If your dog ingested poisonous mushrooms, this herb may detoxify their system. It works for many cases of toxicosis.

Of course, a professional is needed whenever a pet is poisoned. The thing is a different type of detoxifying method may be required.

Other Milk Thistle Uses

While known as the liver herb, milk thistle potentially helps with inflammatory bowel disease and many other digestive problems.

Liver-related skin problems, some cancers, inflammation of the pancreas and bacterial infections such as Leptospirosis respond to milk thistle.

Some of the above health problems are quite common to dogs.

Milk thistle is an alternative medicine to keep in mind. It’s also a great antioxidant.

It can also be utilized following vaccinations, drug therapies and for dogs recovering from infections.

Our Top Recommendation

We can personally vouch for powdered organic pure milk thistle (designed for cats and dogs).

Why This Herb Is Effective

The flower has a flavonoid called Silymarin that releases toxins in the liver.

It also assists in cell regeneration!

Basically, when needed, your dog’s immune system will be strengthened with the help of milk thistle.

Standard Dosage For Dogs

First off: Only provide this supplement if you have a valid reason to do so.

Milk thistle dosing can be difficult to calculate as extracts contain varying levels of strength.


Rule of Thumb: 10mg per pound of body weight, taken daily, is typical.


Higher amounts may be advisable for dogs with serious conditions. Again, talk with a vet — preferably one who practices alternative approaches to wellness.

Warning: Milk thistle is not recommended for pregnant dogs.

The Bottom Line

Some dogs can benefit from milk thistle supplementation.

Indeed there are powerful uses for this herb, but play it safe by consulting with a trusted vet.

If your dog needs detoxification (or has certain health problems) milk thistle may make sense.

What Do You Think? Have Your Say Below…

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21 thoughts on “Read This Before Giving Your Dog Milk Thistle!”

  1. My dog’s bloodwork came back with elevated ALT. Can Milk Thistle help lower it? If so, how much should I give her? She’s 15 years old and weighs 31 pounds.

  2. I have a 10 year old Shih Tzu. My veterinarian said to put him on 200mg of milk thistle and 20mg of furosemide for fluid in his lungs. Is this correct? Should I do this?

  3. I was wondering if, as a preventative measure, I could give my dog human milk thistle. Is this okay to give dogs?

  4. I have milk thistle drops. I’ve tried putting it on food and in water, but she won’t go near it. Any suggestions?

  5. Can I give my dog milk thistle everyday to keep her liver detoxed? She is a 2 year old 50 pound dog and I give her 50mg of milk thistle with her evening meals.

    Can this be done everyday? Would it be better to split the dose in half and give it to her twice a day?

  6. My dog 20 pound Bichon doesn’t do well with pills or capsules. Can I open the capsule and sprinkle it on her food?

    1. My dog was diagnosed with liver disease. I started giving her milk thistle caps (1 per 10 pounds) daily. I sprinkle it over lunch meat and she eats it up. I talk to my animals and explain what I was doing and why. I think it’s understood because she makes sure to lick the plate clean!

  7. My 43 pound, 4 year old Husky has Blastomycosis in the lung. She is on Fluconazole since august 2016. How much human milk thistle can I give her and is this going to react to her meds?

  8. I have a 10 year old Beagle that has been taking 40mgs of people buffered aspirin for arthritis. Do you suggest to use human liquid or canine pill form milk thistle for his detoxification?

  9. I have a 13 year old Shiba Inu that is allergic to everything. She can’t even take meds for her allergies. What milk thistle do you buy for a 17 pound dog and does it have to be alcohol free? What is a good brand to buy? Her liver is in bad shape and she can’t seem it get enough water.

    1. Has she been tested for Crohn’s disease?

  10. Excellent article! Everybody needs to know about the benefits of this miracle herb. It has worked wonders in detoxifying many sick dogs who have fell victim to Nexgard and Bravecto.

  11. My dog has seizures and is a diabetic on insulin. She is on Potassium Bromide for her seizures and this has caused liver damage. Would milk thistle help her? She is 10 years old and weighs a little over 7 pounds.

    1. As your vet to prescribe milk thistle. My dog has Cushing’s syndrome and that really damages the liver. My vet gave him milk thistle daily for 2 weeks. Now he takes one tablet every 2-3 days for the rest of his life. Only 4 or 5 days after starting, he became more like his old self. He’s eating well and has a renewed zest for life. I swear by it.

      1. How many grams per dog’s weight? My vet is against herbs because it isn’t profitable to the business.

  12. Does anyone know if I have to do a 2 week break after giving my dog Silymarin for 6 weeks even at low doses?

    1. I just read that milk thistle should not be given as a daily supplement. It is a medicine that should only be used when the liver is under abnormal stress due to drugs, vaccines, infections or chemicals.

      I also heard that it’s be given for 3 to 6 weeks with a 1 to 3 week break. There are numerous articles online that offer the same info. They suggest a dose of 10mg per pound of the dog’s body weight.

  13. My dog is diabetic and is on insulin and also thyroid medicine. Does anyone know if milk-thistle is safe for him? Thank you!

    1. Caledonia says:

      Hi Colleen. I just read about giving basil to dogs. You may want to read what it says about giving it to pets with diabetes. The article indicates that it may help this condition.

  14. I have a small dog, weighting almost pounds, that takes heart meds. How much milk thistle can I give her?

    1. Crosswind says:

      Deborah, good question. I have a cat. So, since I can’t find that answer, I’m probably going to get the Azmira brand milk-thistle made for pets.

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