Is Sweet Potato good for dogs

Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?

NOTE: Always check with your veterinarian first before giving your dog any new foods, especially people foods. What might be OK for one dog might not be good for your dog, depending on multiple factors, such as their age, health history, health conditions, and diet. Dogs on prescription diets should not be fed any food or treats outside the diet.

Sweet potatoes are a nutrient-packed staple for us humans. But what about our canine companions? If your dog is giving puppy dog eyes for your favorite Thanksgiving side, you may wonder if dogs can eat sweet potatoes.

Good news: vets give the OK when it comes to dogs and sweet potatoes! In fact, sweet potatoes are considered a healthy treat for dogs and offer lots of nutritional value for your pooch.

Just be careful how you go about introducing this fiber-rich starchy root to your pooch. Even though dogs can eat sweet potatoes, dont just toss them any old yam to gnaw on! Keep the following tips top of mind in order to safely feed your dog sweet potato.

Are Sweet Potatoes Good for Dogs?

Sweet potatoes can be a nutritional treat for our canine companions when fed in small amounts. This vitamin-rich carbohydrate is even becoming a common ingredient in commercial dog food and treats. As long as you watch out for extra ingredients that can sneak into human recipes (like butter, sugar, and molasses) and dont offer too much, these starchy root veggies are considered a safe dog treat.

Here are a few reasons sweet potatoes are considered a healthy snack for dogs:

• High in fiber: Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, which helps dogs with digestion. These special spuds are also considered a complex carbohydrate, meaning they provide a steady source of energy.

• Good source of beta-carotene: Like other orange veggies (such as carrots), sweet potatoes contain high amounts of beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A. Vitamin A helps dogs eye health, immune function, and cell growth.

• Vitamins and minerals: Sweet potatoes are also a good source of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and iron.

• Low glycemic index: As a source of carbohydrates, sweet potatoes have a relatively low glycemic index, which means theyre less likely to cause a spike in your dogs blood sugar. This can be beneficial for dogs with diabetes.

• Antioxidants: Sweet potatoes contain antioxidants that may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Can Dogs Eat Cooked Sweet Potatoes?

Cooked sweet potatoes are fine for your dog to enjoy as an occasional treat. Just be sure to avoid other ingredients that us humans like to add to our sweet potatoes, such as butter, cream, or salt, which can be dangerous for dogs to eat (and even cause pancreatitis in dogs).

Sweet potatoes that have been prepared with salt, sugar, garlic, or other seasonings that are not safe for dogs to consume should also be avoided. As with any new food that finds its way into your dogs bowl, moderation is key.

Can Dogs Eat Raw Sweet Potatoes?

While cooked, unseasoned sweet potatoes are fine in moderation, dont feed your pooch raw sweet potatoes. Uncooked sweet potatoes are difficult for them to chew and can be a choking hazard. They can also cause an upset stomach.

Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato Skins?

Potato skins are not considered safe for dogs to eat because their chewy exterior can cause dogs to choke and even lead to intestinal blockages. Be sure that any sweet potato offered to Fido is cooked and that the skins (along with any stems or leaves) are removed before they find their way into your pets food bowl.

How to Safely Feed Sweet Potatoes to Your Dog

Whether theyre mashed, baked, or boiled, sweet potatoes are fine for dogs to eat as long as theyre cooked, peeled, and plain. Again, avoid any seasonings or extra ingredients that may be included in human food recipes, such as butter, sugar, or salt.

For a little extra flavor (and fiber), try topping your dogs regular food with a little sweet potato pure at mealtime. Or add a spoonful to their Kong or other food puzzle to keep their brains busy as they snack. Sweet potato is easy to mix in with other dog-friendly ingredients, and most dogs enjoy the taste.

Just be sure not to overdo it! Treats (including veggies like sweet potatoes) should only make up 10% of your dogs overall calories. The other 90% should be from a diet of well-balanced dog food.

How Much Sweet Potato Can a Dog Eat?

When feeding your dog cooked, plain sweet potato, start slowthe high fiber content in sweet potatoes may cause gastrointestinal upset. See how your pup reacts to a small amount before giving them a full serving size.

Here are some general guidelines for how much sweet potato is safe for dogs to eat in a day, based on their weight:

• Extra-small dog (220 pounds): 1 teaspoon

• Small dog (2130 pounds):12 teaspoons

• Medium dogs (3150 pounds): 23 teaspoons

• Large dogs (5190 pounds): 12 tablespoons

• Extra-large dogs (over 90 pounds): 34 tablespoons

Note that these are just general guidelines. Its always best to check with your veterinarian before making major changes to your dogs diet.

What Other Vegetables Can Your Dog Eat?

Some other veggies that are considered safe for dogs include:

Featured Image: iStock/SolStock

Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes? Yes, And Theres Benefits!

Can your dog eat sweet potatoes? The short answer to this question is YES! Outside of scenarios where your pup may have an allergic reaction, these tubers are fine for most dogs. Sweet potatoes are sort of a wonder-food. They manage to be sufficiently potato-ey enough that you can make chips, and yet theyre classed as one of your five-a-day.

But if youre sold on the idea of incorporating them into your dogs diet, there are some details to think through. Sweet potato is an ingredient in many dog foods, dog chews, and dog treats. It is often included for its high fiber content and vitamins it contains. Its also popular because it rarely causes allergic reactions. This is very important, especially for dog owners that are just testing out different dog foods for their puppies.

Sweet potato is also regularly used in homemade dog food recipes and in homemade dog treats. Most dogs can safely enjoy sweet potatoes. So how much can you feed to your pup? Will they make your dog sick? Lets jump in and find out more!

Will They Make My Dog Sick?

However, sweet potatoes arent fantastic for all dogs, and some dogs should only have very small amounts. For instance, diets containing high quantities of oxalic acid derivatives (spinach, wheat germ, sweet potatoes) can contribute to oxalate crystals in urine. These can cause uncomfortable urination and blood in the urine. They can also cause bladder or urethral stones, which are painful and may require emergency surgery to remove.

These types of stones are most common in the Miniature Schnauzer, Bichon Frise, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso and Yorkshire Terriers. If your dog is one of these breeds, you should be careful about adding excess oxalic acid to their diet. A small amount of sweet potato now and then is unlikely to hurt.

But regularly adding extra sweet potato to a diet already high in spinach may be too much for them to handle. If your dog has previously had bladder stones removed, you should be very careful about adjusting their diet and discuss any planned changes with your vet.

In addition, every dog is different. Although rare, you may find that your dog cannot tolerate sweet potatoes. For some, it will cause an upset stomach- vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain. For others, it may cause a skin reaction and increased itching, which can be treated with an anti-itch dog shampoo. It is always a good idea to give your dog a small amount and watch for 24-48 hours for any adverse reactions before you progress to giving it to them regularly.

Diabetic Dogs

For those dogs that suffer with diabetes, you should already be aware that the diet should be extremely stable. Giving your dog sugary fruits or vegetable tidbits is likely to upset diabetes and cause it to become uncontrolled. This is especially true for sweet potatoes, which have lots of carbohydrates (theres a reason theyre called sweet!) and a high glycemic index.

Digesting these carbs would cause a huge spike in blood sugar, which for a diabetic dog can cause serious issues. As well as additional snacks of sweet potato, diets rich in them as an ingredient should also be avoided for dogs with diabetes.

Are They Good For Dogs?

According to the USDA, sweet potato contains (per 200g) 180 calories, 41.4 grams of carbohydrate, 4 grams of protein, and 0.3 grams of fat. It also contains 6.6 grams of fiber. Sweet potatoes are also really high in beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, manganese and potassium- all of which are important for normal body function, such as eyesight, hair and claw growth and neurological function.

Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potatoes also contain significant amounts of antioxidants. One of the types of antioxidant in sweet potato is called anthocyanin. This has been shown to slow the growth of certain cancer cells, and mice fed sweet potato had lower rates of colon cancer. They also had less brain inflammation, better memory and increased ability to learn.

Its not completely clear whether this effect would carry over to dogs, but theres no doubt that sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of excellent nutrition regardless!

Sweet Potato in Dry Kibbles

Its no surprise that sweet potato is found in a huge range of dog diets. Sweet potato is found frequently in foods marketed as limited ingredient diets for those with allergies or sensitivities. Its commonly touted as a great way to provide carbohydrates to your dog while improving regularity.

Although sweet potato is thought to be a safe ingredient for dogs, you should be cautious about opting for a boutique or exotic diet, as these have been linked with the fatal heart disease Dilated Cardiomyopathy. However, many reputable brands with good safety use sweet potato successfully.

Giving Your Dog Sweet Potatoes

If this is the first time your dog has eaten sweet potato, we recommend trying them with a small amount first. Wait 24 hours to see whether they have any reactions before giving them any more. If all goes well, and they dont develop an upset stomach, then you should be safe to continue.

Its important to remember that treats and toppings like a sweet potato, as food or as a snack contain calories. Treats and toppings can make up to 10% of your dogs daily dietary calories without unbalancing their main meal. You will need to account for the extra calories by removing some of their kibble at dinner time.

Over 50% of dogs are considered overweight or obese. Snacks like this can easily get forgotten when youre trying to work out what your dog eats on a daily basis. Your local veterinary practice can do calorie calculations to tell you how many calories your dog should be eating so that you can be aware and keep their diet to the correct amount.

Alternatively, you can get in touch with a nutritionist to help you to ensure your dogs meals are balanced. If your dog is already overweight, consider adding small amounts of sweet potato to your dogs food, and make sure its a dry kibble formulated for weight loss.

Raw vs. Cooked

Dogs can eat raw sweet potato in small amounts, and will likely enjoy it as a tasty chew. Its good for your dogs mental health to try new foods with different textures. Just like with any other foods, dogs should be given only a small amount, and you should be cautious that any chunks arent big enough to cause choking.

Theres an easy way to avoid this. Give your dog long, thin, chip-like pieces that dogs can chew on but that cant get wedged in the throat as easily as large cube-shaped pieces. If your dog is not the type to chew their food, you may need to avoid giving raw sweet potato as it can contribute to gut blockages if not chewed properly.

Make sure you arent loading them up on fried sweet potatoes or sweet potato french fries, as they are higher in fat content and can cause problems over time.

Can it Cure Diarrhea?

Well, that depends on the source of diarrhea and your individual dog. Sweet potato is very high in fiber, which leads to a more formed stool. This is the reason its included in many high-fiber formula dog foods. However, diarrhea is rarely the result of a simple lack of fiber, Its usually caused by something else.

It could be a toxin, bacteria, or disease. Sweet potato isnt going to cure diarrhea caused by those things, and if given to a dog that doesnt usually them, it could make it worse by upsetting the stomach further.

However, for dogs with anal gland problems and chronic slightly-soft stools, extra fiber can help. Raw carrot is often suggested, but raw sweet potato should work as well.

Remember to adjust your dogs diet accordingly. Just 50g of raw sweet potato is 5% of a 15kg dogs daily calorie allowance. Meaning if they were given 50g every day, without adjusting their daily allowance of kibble, theyd soon become overweight.

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have some additional questions when it comes to sweet potato consumption and your canine companion? Below are some of the most common questions that are asked when it comes to feeding your pup this popular vegetable.

Can dogs eat sweet potato fries?

Yes, your dog can eat sweet potato fries. Because they are fried though, youll want to limit their intake to no more than a couple times per month.

Can dogs eat them with cinnamon?

Unless your dog has a cinnamon allergy, cinnamon is generally non-toxic to dogs. In most cases, this should be fine. Youll want to immediately consult with your vet if your pup shows any signs of an allergic reaction.

Can Dogs ingest sweet potato skins?

Yes, its safe for your dog to the skins as long as they are in moderation. Youll want to check the skins for mold though, as this can be toxic for dogs.

Can my dog eat them everyday?

We recommend feeding your pup any type of food in moderation. Moderate use of sweet potato should be just fine for dogs, even on a daily basis. You likely will not want to make it a primary meal, as too much may make it harder for your pup to pup go to the bathroom.

Can my pup eat sweet potatoes with brown sugar?

Yes, brown sugar is fine for dogs in moderation. Youll likely want to limit their brown sugar intake so that they dont gain weight by ingesting too much brown sugar on a daily basis.

Can my pup eat sweet potatoes with pecans?

Dogs should not eat pecans. Pecans have toxins in them that can make your dog extremely sick, so avoid pecans in your sweet potato adventures.

Can my pup eat sweet potatoes with pumpkins?

Yes, your dog can eat sweet potatoes with pumpkins. Wed recommend that you stick to the canned variety, but fresh can be done as well. You want to limit your dogs pumpkin intake depending on their size. Too much pumpkin can be toxic to dogs.

Can dogs eat them if they are dehydrated or dried?

Yes, they can be eaten if they are dehydrated or dried. Both means are completely acceptable for dogs to consume, as long as no harmful chemicals are used in the dehydration process.

Can my pup eat the leaf of a sweet potato?

No, your dog should not eat anything other than the actual potato. Do not feed your pup the vine or other parts of the plant, because excess could cause gastrointestinal problems.

Can my dog eat sweet potato pie?

Depending on the ingredients used for sweet potato pie, its possible your dog can eat it. Marshmallows in excess are not good for your pup, so this should be eaten in moderation.

Can sweet potatoes make my dog smell?

Its unlikely that sweet potatoes wouldmake your dog smell. They may make your dog slightly gassy due to the increase in fiber. There aredog foods that prevent gaswhich can help if it becomes a problem.

Final Thoughts

Youve officially now learned all there is to know about dogs and eating sweet potatoes. The only thing left to do is actually start feeding them to your pup! If your dog doesnt end up liking them, you can always look for a limited ingredient dog food that includes them. If their food lists them as a primary ingredient, it may help to firm up your pups stools and keep them more regular on a daily basis.