Can dogs eat tomatoes? The short answer is yes. Dogs can eat anything as long as they are edible, and tomatoes are undoubtedly the one. However, it doesn’t mean that tomatoes are completely safe for your dogs. There are exceptions and risks that dog parents should know before feeding their babies tomatoes. Read this article till the end to provide your dogs with fresh and healthy tomatoes and keep them safe from poison.
Nutrition Value of Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a rich-nutrition vegetable that is good for both humans and pets. They are low in calories and fiber, promoting dogs’ digestion. Besides, this vegetable contains lycopene, a helpful element in preventing heart disease and supporting strong bones.
Meanwhile, beta-carotene in tomatoes will improve cognition and prevent metabolic syndrome. Vitamin A is good for vision, and vitamin C helps develop a robust immune system. Lastly, potassium will aid in regulating blood pressure.
In many dog foods, tomato is used in the form of tomato pomace as a minor ingredient. Containing the skin, pulp, and crushed tomato seeds, it is widely used as an additional source of fiber and vitamins.
In terms of flavors, dogs love tomatoes’ sweet and juicy taste. People often feed their dogs with some tomatoes here and there as a snack.
When Can Tomatoes Harm Your Dogs?
Eating Unripe Tomatoes
Although tomato brings your dogs a bunch of benefits, there are risks and exceptions that dog parents should know. But before we start, let’s take a quick look at tomatoes.
If you don’t know, tomatoes are from the nightshade family with the scientific name Solanaceae. Plants from this family contain a toxin called solanine, which can be harmful to dogs if consumed too much.
For tomatoes, certain parts like the stems, vines, and leaves contain solanine, which is toxic in high amounts. Green, unripe tomatoes even have more solanine than these above parts. The amount of solanine reduces slowly when tomatoes ripen and turn red.
This is where dog parents should give additional concerns to ensure that their dogs don’t consume these parts in large quantities.
Many of you might ask, “Why do people feed their dogs with unripe tomatoes?”. Dog parents, of course, will never do that. But their pets, who might love tomatoes and be hungry, will unintentionally get to unripe tomatoes and poisonous parts for a snack in the yard.
Thus, dog parents should pay extra attention to their home-grow garden before their dogs get into trouble. You can prevent your dogs from eating green tomatoes by putting the plants away from their reach or covering them with nets.
Dogs with Tomato Allergy
Tomatine poisoning due to solanine is quite rare. However, tomatoes can lead to other health problems if dog parents do not pay enough attention.
Like much other food, dogs are at risk of allergies when eating ripe tomatoes. Although tomato allergy is not typical for dogs, there are still chances. The bad news is there’s no way to predict whether your dogs have tomato allergies.
The only way to make sure about this is to feed your dog tomatoes and wait for the symptoms. Here are the most significant symptoms of tomato allergy:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Itchy rashes
- Red ear skin
- Vomiting
- Growling stomach
- Gas
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
Tomato allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, a potentially lethal condition in dogs. So, if you see any signs of allergy in your dogs, stop giving them tomatoes and take them to the nearest vet immediately.
Dogs with Gastrointestinal Issues
If your dogs have medical conditions, like acid reflux or gastrointestinal issues, you should not feed them too much tomato.
As tomatoes contain citric, malic, and ascorbic acid, they can aggravate some gastrointestinal issues in dogs. They can even lead to stomach upset for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
It’s best to ask your vet about your dog’s gastrointestinal status before giving him tomatoes to ensure your pup can safely eat them. Also, you should start with small amounts to see your dog’s reaction, just like what you would do when introducing the new food.
How To Serve Tomatoes To Your Dogs
The answer to the question of can dogs eat tomatoes is similar to whether can dogs eat strawberry yogurt?, can dogs eat pears?, or can dogs eat fish? Dogs can eat mostly any edible thing that people can eat. However, feeding dogs with tomatoes need extra caution.
So, the question is, how to feed your dogs with tomatoes healthily? The answer is quite simple. You can find a detailed guide for serving tomatoes to dogs in this section. We will mention fresh tomatoes first, and then tomato products like sauce and ketchup.
Fresh Tomatoes
Before feeding your dog tomatoes, you should make sure about the source of your tomatoes. It’s best to choose organic fruits without the use of chemicals.
When it comes to tomatoes, color is the crucial key. You must choose the ripe and red ones. Remove vines and steams, and leave them before giving tomatoes to your pets.
Moreover, it’s essential to rinse tomatoes well, especially when they are not organic. Rinsing the tomato carefully, especially where the sepal connects with the fruit, to remove residual pesticides and herbicides. For more safety, you can peel off the tomato’s skin.
Tomato Sauce and Ketchup
So, what about tomato sauce and ketchup? Will they harm your dogs? Can you use them for cooking dog food?
Let’s talk about tomato sauce first. It would be best if you didn’t use it for dog food, especially pasta sauce. It’s not the tomatoes’ fault, but the sauce contains other ingredients that can harm your pet’s health. In large quantities, tomato sauce often contains too much sugar, salt, and other ingredients like onions, chives, and garlic.
What about ketchup? Luckily, ketchup seems to be safer for your dogs. But it would be best if you kept it as simple as possible. The best option is to use plain ketchup and avoid spicy flavors like jalapeno or sriracha. However, you should note that ketchup has no nutritional value. Thus, it’s no point feeding your dogs with ketchup unless they want a bite of your hot dog.
Another essential thing to note is that dog parents should carefully read the ketchup’s ingredient list. Generally, ketchup contains sugar. But some manufacturers use xylitol as a substitute, as it is lethal to your dogs.
Xylitol is quickly absorbed into your dog’s bloodstream after they are eaten. A small amount of xylitol can lead to low blood sugar, seizures, liver failure, or even death. If you suspect your dogs have consumed xylitol-containing products, you need to take your dogs to the vet as soon as possible.
Tomato Poisoning In Dogs
In the last section of this article, dog parents will find detailed information about tomato poisoning in dogs. Not only will you be provided with the symptoms of solanine poisoning, but you will receive helpful advice from experienced vets.
Symptoms
If your dog has been poisoned by tomatoes, he is likely to get gastrointestinal irritation or stomach lining upset. Oversee your dogs for the following signs if, somehow, they happen to have consumed a large number of green parts of tomatoes plants:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Muscles weakness / Tremors
- Loss of coordination
- Abnormal heart rate
- Dilated pupils
- No Appetit
The excellent news is tomato poisoning is rare in dogs, and the prognosis for dogs with tomato toxicity is good. But it doesn’t mean that your dogs are safe from tomato toxicity. It’s better to oversee your dogs if you suspect they have consumed large amounts of tomato green parts.
Treatment
The most common treatment vets may recommend for tomato poisoning is fluid therapy. Pumping the mixture of electrolytes and fluids into your dog’s body will prevent your dog from dehydration as well as aid in flushing the toxins. Fluid therapy through the veins, under the skin, or through the abdominal wall is highly effective if your dog is vomiting and experiencing diarrhea.
Another possible treatment when you cannot induce your dog’s vomiting is gastric lavage or pumping the stomach. This treatment will place a tube through the stomach and flush the toxins. And in some severe cases where dogs have difficulty breathing, veterinarians will offer an emergency airway to avoid asphyxiation.
Conclusion
Can dogs eat tomatoes? Both Yes and No. Ripe and mature tomatoes are nutritious and beneficial for dogs. While consuming a large number of green tomatoes and other parts of the plants can lead to severe tomatine toxicity. So, dogs can eat tomatoes if and only if they are red.
However, dog parents should be extra cautious when feeding their puppies tomatoes as there are chances of tomato allergies and stomach upsets. Generally, giving tomatoes to your dog in moderation as a snack is not a bad practice.
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