Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? The Truth about Carbohydrates

Can dogs eat potatoes to add vitamins and nutrients to your dog’s diet or will you discover over time that the crunchy french fries and potato chips you unselfishly shared with your dog led to his weight gain and eventually spiked his blood sugar… which means you may be faced with additional expenses to pay for weight management or chronic health conditions like diabetes.

This dog health article gives you the health risks of potatoes in your dog’s diet.

I hope when you read this article you’ll avoid the bad potato choices that could lead to your dog’s health problems down the road.

Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? 3 Facts about Carbohydrates and Why to Avoid Them

Nutrition – Your dog doesn’t need to eat carbs like potatoes to have a healthy diet according to the National Research Council and the Dog Food Advisor.
Quantity – Your dog’s manufactured dry food may already contain between 50-75 percent carbohydrates. This means you need to carefully read the ingredients on the label to select the dog food with the lowest amount of carbs. You don’t help your dog stay healthy If you add more carbohydrates in potato table scraps or treats.
Obesity – Too much of a good thing like potatoes that are full of starch and carbohydrates can lead to extra weight that’s hard for your dog to burn off.

Can Dogs Eat Potatoes? Safe Ways to Give Your Dog Potatoes

Raw potatoes or any kind of potato plant in your kitchen and garden are off limits for your dog.

You may already know that white potatoes belong to the nightshade family and contain solanine which is toxic to dogs. When you cook a potato you reduce the levels of solanine.

Here are 2 safe ways to give your dog potatoes:

Baked – Scoop out the baked potato and discard the skin. Wait until the potato is room temperature and mix it with your dog’s dry or wet food. Can dogs eat potatoes? You can also give your dog baked sweet potatoes as long as you take off the skin. Sweet potatoes are a more nutritious option for your dog because they contain vitamins A, B6 and C, calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.

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Boiled – Cook potatoes until they are soft and remove the skin. Mash up the boiled potatoes and let cool. You can give your dog plain mashed potatoes of any kind. White potatoes contain vitamin B6 and C, iron and magnesium.
Safe ingredients – You can add healthy non-toxic herbs and oils like parsley and coconut oil to your dog’s baked or boiled potatoes to give them added flavor. Other safe ingredients include organic apple cider vinegar, bone broth, ginger, hemp seed oil, lemon, thyme and turmeric.
Portion Size: You can give your dog under 20 pounds 1/4 cup baked or boiled potatoes once a week. Give dogs over 20 pounds 1/2 cup baked or boiled potatoes once a week. Always check with your veterinarian before you decide to add potatoes to your dog’s diet.

Dangerous Ingredients to Avoid in Potato Dishes for Your Dog

Your homemade potato casseroles, mashed potatoes and scalloped potatoes may seem like a healthy treat for your dog even though you now know the answer to ‘can dogs eat potatoes?’

Avoid these ingredients if you choose to give your dog any cooked potatoes:

Garlic and onion – Your dog can get sick from too much powdered, raw, cooked or dehydrated garlic and onion you may add to mashed potatoes. Symptoms range from weakness and vomiting to breathing problems and anemia.
Milk, cheese and sour cream – These milk-based products could give your dog diarrhea or trigger food allergies.

Oil, butter and salt – French fries, potato chips and fried potatoes are not healthy foods for your dog for any reason. The oil, butter and salt is not good for your dog’s digestion and can cause dehydration and other health problems related to your dog’s gastrointestinal system.

Note: If your dog has diabetes, avoid potatoes in his diet because the glucose can cause blood sugar spikes.

This health article gives you the truth about carbohydrates and the answer to ‘can dogs eat potatoes’ which will help you take better care of your dog. Now that you’ve read about potatoes for dogs I hope you’ll eliminate the bad choices and think twice when you offer french fries and potato chips to your dog.

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