Can Dog Eat Tomatoes?
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? If your furry friend’s eyes are telegraphing the “Please toss that red, juicy, ball-shaped food my way” signal, the good news is that you can! Fresh tomatoes, whether raw or cooked, can be a safe occasional treat for dogs when given in moderation. As with introducing any new food, it’s best to start slowly to make sure your dog’s digestive system tolerates them. Due to their natural acidity,
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? eating too many tomatoes may lead to stomach upset, and in some dogs, even a single tomato could be harsh on sensitive stomachs. While ripe tomatoes on their own are generally harmless, many tomato-based dishes include ingredients like garlic, onions, or chives, which are toxic to dogs and should always be avoided.). So take a peek at the ingredient list first before offering a people food containing tomatoes to your dog. Can Dog Eat Tomatoes?
A Good Source of Antioxidants and Fiber
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? Tomatoes or dried tomato pomace (seeds, peel and pulp) are added to dog food recipes most often, like Taste of the Wild, Taste of the Wild PREY and Taste of the Wild with Ancient Grains, as they are rich in sufficient nutrients.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene, which are good antioxidants. Free radicals are formed by regular metabolism and can potentially damage molecules in your dog’s body involved in maintaining it healthy. Antioxidants protect your dog from poisonous free radicals. Tomato pomace is a good, balanced source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, and of vitamin C and lycopene. Dietary fiber maintains gastrointestinal health and strengthens stools.
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? In your dog’s large intestine, tomato pomace fiber ferments and creates short-chain fatty acids, which serve as a source of energy for the intestinal cells.. Colon pH is supported by dietary fiber and causes colon health bacteria to proliferate.
What is Tomatine Poisoning?
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? Because tomatoes have trace levels of toxins, eating a large quantity of them can result in something called tomatine poisoning, or tomato poisoning. However, the chances of dogs eating a quantity of the tomato plant large enough to seriously harm them are very low. For small breeds and puppies, however, a lesser quantity of tomato will result in poisoning because of their size, so watch out.
Signs of Tomatine Poisoning
Following are the signs of tomatine poisoning in dogs to observe:
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle weakness
- Hypersalivation
- Dilated eyes
- Shaking or seizures
- Lethargy
- Abdominal discomfort
- Cardiac effects (arrhythmia, irregular heartbeats)
- Gastrointestinal disturbance (vomiting, diarrhea)
Luckily, tomatine poisoning in dogs is not usual and usually is not fatal. Most poisoned dogs get better.
A complete physical exam of your dog can be conducted by veterinarians and a blood test or ECG to establish tomato poisoning. For dogs being treated for tomatine poisoning, veterinarians might induce vomiting or monitor them.
There are also some dogs that can be allergic to tomatoes. This is also rare but hives, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath can be symptoms.
Don’t worry, dogs cannot eat tomato soup.
Don’t feed your dog tomato soup. Like tomato sauce, tomato soup can contain spices, onions, or garlic that are toxic to pets.
Can dogs eat ketchup?
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? A small amount of ketchup probably won’t hurt your dog, but it’s not something they would ever eat otherwise. Most commercial ketchups have additives that aren’t particularly good for dogs. Even low-sugar ketchups have artificial sweeteners like xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
Can Dogs Eat Canned Tomatoes?
Dogs shouldn’t eat canned tomatoes. This is because they have preservatives, salt (excessive consumption of sodium leaves them dehydrated) and spices (e.g., onion and garlic) which are harmful to your canines. Pasta sauce and other tomato sauce are identical.
Are Tomatoes Good for Dogs?
Yes, tomatoes typically make a healthy dog food. Tomato fruits are rich in health benefits and possess the following characteristics:
- High in fiber
- High in vitamins C and K
- High in potassium and folate
- High in antioxidants such as Lycopene
- High in Polyphenol, an anti-inflammatory by nature
While there are some reported health benefits for dogs eating ripe tomatoes, not all dogs will have an appetite for them.
Some dogs will not like the taste or texture of tomatoes. If your dog doesn’t like raw chopped tomatoes, then simply feed them another way, like roasted or grilled.
If your dog doesn’t like tomatoes, don’t attempt to force your dog to eat tomatoes because there are some other foods that your dog will adore.
How Can I Feed Tomatoes to My Dog?
Can Dog Eat Tomatoes? Make sure you only have organic (these will not have pesticide), ripe tomatoes that will be shiny red in color.
Before you can serve, make sure you remove any of the green part like stem, leaves, and vines. Next, wash them before serving to remove any possible dirt. First, start by offering only a little to your dog to observe how they respond – it comes as no surprise that most dogs loathe the flavor and texture of tomatoes in any case, so don’t worry if they simply vomit it out! Finally, red tomatoes are okay for dogs to eat in moderation. Never, ever offer dogs green tomatoes, tomato plant leaves, or stems since they have toxic substances.
Tomatoes make good healthy dog dinner topping or treat.
Avoid serving tomatoes in forms like pasta sauce or curry mixes, as these usually contain seasonings and additives that can be harmful to dogs.
If unsure whether or not you can feed your dog a certain food item, or require guidance in planning your dog’s menu, have your veterinarian provide you with a complete pet nutrition consultation.