Can Dogs Eat Tomatoes? Facts And Precautions

For feeding your dog, two smaller or one larger ripe tomatoes as a reward will ensure that your dog receives more benefit without any potential health risks.

Most pet lovers are scared about feeding nightshade family vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, or potato. In general, small quantities of nightshade family veggies are not toxic but every dog is different.

In other words, certain dogs can suffer from Glycoalkaloid poisoning but it’s also very rare. Overall, just don’t feed your dog with too much nightshade family vegetables like a tomato.

Green tomatoes or unripe tomatoes have a rich concentration of solanine in their stems and leaves.

So, it is safe to feed a dog with ripe tomatoes. Moreover, the owner has to guard the dog against munching on leaves or stems of the tomato plant if they have one in their house.

Tomatine poisoning in dogs

In case, if you find your dog to have eaten the fresh green portions of a tomato, kindly look out for these signs of tomatine poisoning.

The most common symptoms of tomatine poisoning include

• Seizures
• Tremors
• Muscle or body weakness
• Lack of coordination
• Cardiac effects
• (GI) Gastrointestinal upset

However, dog owners need not panic because the treatment for dogs suffering from tomatine poisoning is always very good. So, you should immediately call a veterinarian if you find that your dog has eaten green parts of tomatoes.

Giving your dog tomato juice can increase the water intake and make him urinate more dilute. Also, adding salty items such as tomato juice would force him to drink excess water, but the risk of heart or kidney problem is not ruled out.

Cooked tomatoes consist of the powerful anti-oxidant lycopene and you can allow your dog to eat them once in a while.

In addition, cooked tomatoes should not contain something extra such as additives, spices, or sodium.

In a single tomato (not more than 123 grams)

• Vitamin B6 – 6% (DV)
• Magnesium – 3% (DV)
• Potassium – 292 mg (8% DV)
• Dietary fiber-1.5 grams
• Sugar- 3.2 grams
• Vitamin A- 20% (DV)
• Vitamin C- 28% (DV)

DV= Daily Value

Eating cooked tomatoes boosts the dog’s health due to the presence of anti-oxidants. The main disadvantage of feeding your pet with tomato sauce is the inclusion of harmful ingredients in the tomato sauce.

The other additional ingredients that cause trouble in sauce include dairy, garlic, onions, spices, flavorings, and sodium.

Tomato Antioxidants and Vitamins

Tomatoes contain rich deposits of antioxidants and vitamins

• Beta-carotene
• Manganese
• Vitamin C

Lycopene in tomatoes improves overall health

• Lycopene refers to a red carotene compound present in a tomato that enhances good health.
• Moreover, this compound is known to tackle certain types of degenerative disease.
• Carrots also contain lycopene and they are normally considered safe for dogs.

Makes bones stronger

• According to a report, avoiding tomatoes even for a few weeks can result in weak bone tissues.
• Therefore, an occasional tomato piece can easily strengthen and improve your dog’s bone growth in the long run.
• The presence of calcium and vitamin K aids the process of strengthening the bones in dogs.

Improves heart health

• Tomatoes are packed with B vitamins and potassium.
• These nutrients play a major role in lowering blood pressure and also reduces your pet’s cholesterol limits.
• Therefore, a few tomato slices protect your dog from strokes and heart attacks.

Enhances your dog’s vision

• A single tomato contains around 20% value of vitamin A.
• Vitamin A improves vision and helps prevent “night blindness” in dogs.

Overall, feeding tomatoes to older dogs can improve their vision.

Before you feed your dog with canned tomatoes, please check the ingredients first. In fact, if the tomatoes used in the sauce are mature, red, and ripe, they are safe. In case if you find any added preservatives, it’s better you skip this food source itself.

Cherry tomatoes are not toxic for the dogs but do not feed them as a whole as your dog has potentially all possibilities of choking.

Remove the seeds and feed your dogs with ripe and mashed tomatoes as they are easy for digestion and your dog will certainly be safe from stomach related diseases.

Therefore, it’s not a good idea to feed cherry tomatoes to your dogs although experts do not consider them toxic.

• Seizures
• Tremors
• Weakness in the muscles
• Coordination loss
• Cardiac or heart-related effects
• Gastrointestinal (GI) upset

Yes, small quantities of sun-dried tomatoes normally do not create any health problems in dogs. Moreover, if sun-dried tomatoes do not contain any artificial ingredients or seasoning, you can feed your dog.

The sun-dried tomato is first cured with salt or sulphur dioxide compound. Then, these tomatoes are dried in the sun.

Finally, tomatoes when picked at their maximum ripeness, will normally be free from stems or stalks. In other words, these tomatoes will also contain very low levels of tomatine compound.

Tomato toxins

Other than tomatine, a tomato also contains a lesser-known toxin widely popular as atropine. Tomatine can become toxic only if a dog has ingested a great number of unripe tomatoes.

Healthy tomato treats for dogs

Main Ingredients

• Granulated sugar – 5 tablespoon
• Tomato juice – 1.5 cups
• Whole wheat flour – 1.5 cups
• Wheat germ – 2 cups
• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Dry yeast – 1 packet
• Beef bouillon granules – 3 tablespoon
• Hot water – ¼ cup

Preparation

• Dissolve bouillon in warm-hot water
• Prepare yeast and allow it for 5 mins
• Stir the remaining until well mixed
• Now, divide the dough into 3 parts
• Now roll ¼ inch thick from one part of the dough
• Cut various shapes and place them on an oiled cookie sheet
• Now, repeat the same process
• Bake the content for 60 mins in 300 F
• Remove the tray and allow it to cool
• Refrigerate the content

The Bottom Line:

Overall, Can dogs eat tomatoes? The answer is no as well as yes. Tomato plants and unripe or green tomatoes must be avoided whereas ripe tomatoes can be given in small quantities occasionally.

The list of human foods harmful to dogs does not include tomatoes as such but taking extra precaution is always recommended.