What is a potato anyway?
Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?. The potato ( Solanum tuberosum ) that we regularly have on our plates is one of the most important food sources in the human world.
It grows on a plant that makes a stock of starch for itself underground. We know the tuber that results from this as the potato.
The potato plant belongs to the nightshade family. This makes the green parts of the plant and the above-ground berries extremely poisonous. The underground tubers are also too poisonous to eat, due to a high solanine content.
Each potato contains a certain amount of solanine, mainly found in the skin and the shoots of the tuber. This is a natural poison that cannot be broken down by boiling in hot water.
However, cooking does lower the content in the potato. This is because it dissolves in the water in which the potato is cooked.
Is it therefore a bad idea to give potatoes to your dog?
Are potatoes bad for your dog?
Dogs and potatoes are not an ideal combination. Just like for humans, raw potatoes are too poisonous to eat safely.
However, boiled potatoes don’t have this risk. So are potatoes in the diet a bad idea?
Potatoes contain carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin B6. For humans, these are important energy suppliers and building materials for the body.
But our dogs are what we call ‘true meat eaters’. This means that they are built to digest meat. Their food must therefore be based on this.
But for this reason dogs can digest carbohydrates poorly.
Do not give your dog potatoes if he has diabetes. This can greatly increase blood sugar in a short time.
Scientific research has shown that the modern dog has nevertheless developed a gene to break down some starch. This is most likely the result of living with humans for thousands of years.
But ultimately the dog’s body (just like the wolf) is set to gather energy from animal proteins and fats. Not from rice, potatoes or grain.
So carbohydrates are not necessarily very bad. But it mainly gives your dog very big turds.
How can my dog eat potatoes?
Taking this consideration into account, it is recommended to cook the potato without skin so that the dog can take it . “In the cooking process these toxic compounds are degraded” , clarifies the veterinary assistant.
One way the dog can eat potatoes is during a soft diet. “When we have dogs with diarrhea, for example, we recommend making boiled potatoes with carrots, rice and chicken.
According to Castilla, this recipe is a “natural astringent, which implies that it reverses the loss of water and the low absorption of the intestine , thus giving consistency to the stool and stop having diarrhea . ” A healthy combination before returning to your usual diet.
Benefits of potatoes for dogs
In nutritional terms, potatoes provide dogs:
- Slow absorption carbohydrates. That is, energy .
- Potatoes are a source of fiber for dogs.
- They contain B vitamins and minerals such as potassium or magnesium .
Can I give my dog French fries?
As for potato chips or bag, they are not recommended for dogs. This type of potato, in addition to being fried in oil, contains a large amount of salt. 👉 Remember that too much salt can even be toxic to dogs.
Dogs with food allergies
Dogs can eat potatoes as long as they are cooked , other than the basis of their diet, occasionally or as part of an exclusion diet. It is precisely at this last point that dogs with food allergies enter.
Potatoes for dogs are also used as ingredients in case they suffer from a food allergy. In fact, in this situation it is common for the allergic dogs with a diet of cooked potato.
Feeding your dog boiled potatoes
Yet many dog owners sometimes feed their four-legged friends boiled potatoes.
This can be a useful strategy if your dog has some stomach problems. Because the potato is not broken down much, the sensitive gastrointestinal system does not work very hard.
But the dog does get some nutrients here and there.
Only feed your dog boiled or baked potatoes. However, avoid oil, butter, cooking oil, spices and salt. This is very unhealthy for your four-legged friend.
Potatoes, however, are a bit heavy on the stomach. If your dog has a stomach ache or diarrhea, it is better to give him boiled, white rice with boiled chicken or white fish.
This is nutritious, but light.
Potatoes dangerous for a dog
Potatoes can be very dangerous for a dog. Unripe green potatoes, yellow uncooked potatoes and the green parts and offshoots of a potato are very harmful to a dog. Also prevent your dog from eating the poisonous potato skins. This is by no means a treat for a dog.
Consequences of eating potatoes for a dog
Potatoes are vegetables from the infamous nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and peppers. The toxic substance solanine is what makes potatoes so dangerous to dogs. A dog can even get potato poisoning. When a potato is cooked or baked, the solanine will disappear by itself. Sweet potatoes are not nightshade plants and do not contain solanine. This type of potatoes is therefore safe for a dog. Although we do not recommend giving it to your dog in its raw form.
Did your dog eat raw potatoes? Potato skins or part of the potato plant? Pre-existing inflammation in a dog can be made worse by eating potatoes. The solanine also causes digestive problems and diarrhea. Ingestion of solanine in large quantities can even be fatal to animals.
Symptoms if a dog has eaten too many potatoes
Do you think your dog ate potatoes? Then the following symptoms and signs may occur:
- Itching
- Diarrhea
- Drowsiness
- Lethargy
- Vomit
Your dog may become sleepy and dizzy after eating solanine in uncooked potatoes. The peel or a potato plant is also dangerous. The substance does not leave a dog’s body quickly and can build up. Fortunately, in most cases, eating a single potato is not fatal. If in doubt or if you have severe symptoms, call a vet.
What to do if your dog has eaten potatoes? The treatment
Your dog will suffer from diarrhea for a while and will not feel well. Fortunately, most dogs recover on their own. Make your dog drink plenty of water and try to prevent your dog from getting hold of potato skins or a raw potato.
Can a dog have potatoes?
So can a dog eat potatoes? No and yes. That depends in what form. Raw potato, potato skins and parts of the potato plant are poisonous to dogs. Baked and boiled potatoes are safe for dogs.
My dog ate raw potato, now what?
If your dog has eaten raw potato, he can get solanine poisoning. The peel and shoots, in particular, contain a lot of this toxic substance.
The severity of the poisoning is strongly related to the amount of potatoes eaten and the weight of your dog. In very few cases, acute, life-threatening complaints will arise.
Nevertheless, it is wise to immediately call the vet for advice. They can indicate whether monitoring or treatment is needed.
Solanine poisoning manifests itself in the following symptoms:
- Distress
- Vomit
- Stomach cramps
- Diarrhea
- Itching
- Headache
- Fever
- Lethargy
- Dazedness
These and similar poisons can manifest themselves very differently in intensity. One dog has almost no problems with it, the other immediately gets stomach pain or breathing problems.
Just like with humans, some are more sensitive than others. Still, it is wise to keep an eye on your animal and avoid eating raw potatoes.
Solanine is simply a toxic substance, which can never have any positive effects in the body.
Whether you see this from the outside or not.
Better safe than sorry !
