Can canine eat tomatoes? – Dr. Dobias Pure Therapeutic

Are tomatoes poisonous to canine: A misunderstanding in canine diet

There are quite a few myths surrounding what the canine weight-reduction plan ought to or shouldn’t embody, which is why discovering the reply to ‘can canine eat tomatoes?’ will not be as simple as you’d anticipate.

Within the realm of veterinary drugs, many suggestions look like handed down by means of generations of practitioners and accepted with out query. One such perception is the potential toxicity of tomatoes in canine.

I did a variety of digging on this matter, and there doesn’t look like any proof that tomatoes are toxic to canine.

However are tomatoes a superb addition to your canine’s weight-reduction plan? On this article, I will share with you all the things I’ve discovered about feeding tomatoes to your canine, their well being advantages and potential dangers.

Are tomatoes good for canine?

My curiosity was piqued by an interesting encounter with Bobi, the oldest canine on the earth, who had, surprisingly, been consuming tomato sauce practically on daily basis of his lengthy, wholesome life!

This contradicts the decades-old recommendation given by veterinarians, together with myself. As a substitute, I questioned, have we overstated the hazard of tomatoes? Are ripe, cooked tomatoes secure for our canine pals?

Traditionally, our warning in direction of tomatoes stems from solanine, a glycoalkaloid discovered primarily within the inexperienced components of the tomato plant, together with unripe tomatoes, leaves, and stems. Solanine, in substantial quantities, is certainly poisonous to canine. Nonetheless, the focus considerably drops because the tomato ripens and is negligible in crimson, mature fruits.

This leads me to surprise — maybe the hazard will not be with tomatoes per se, however moderately with their unripe fruit, stems, and leaves. Bobi was one in all a number of canine which have finished nice on tomatoes. Leonel, Bobi’s dad, has given tomatoes to his different canine, a few of whom lived for greater than twenty years!

In spite of everything these observations and the shortage of empirical proof in opposition to feeding ripe, significantly cooked tomatoes to canine, I’ve determined to not keep away from them when feeding my canine Pax.

Can canine eat tomatoes?

Sure, they’ll, however the selection of feeding your canine tomatoes must be primarily based on particular person discretion and understanding. Given present information, I can not outright suggest tomatoes for everybody else’s canine.

Nonetheless, it might be time to reevaluate and replace our recommendation on tomatoes for canine. I take this as a reminder that we, veterinarians, should consistently scrutinize our suggestions to make sure we’re offering essentially the most correct and useful recommendation to canine dad and mom, irrespective of how established some opinions are.

I invite you to learn our complete information on secure fruits for canine to seek out out what wholesome treats you’ll be able to add to your canine’s weight-reduction plan.

Dietary advantages of tomatoes for canine

Tomatoes are nutrient-dense fruit excessive in nutritional vitamins C and A, essential for immune operate, imaginative and prescient well being, and pores and skin and hair integrity. Additionally they present a superb quantity of potassium, which helps coronary heart well being and maintains blood stress ranges.

Furthermore, tomatoes are well-known for his or her excessive lycopene content material, a strong antioxidant related to a decrease threat of coronary heart illness and sure kinds of most cancers. Lycopene can be recognized for its potential skin-protective properties in opposition to UV injury.

Moreover, the folic acid in tomatoes makes them a useful dietary selection for pregnant people, as it’s essential for stopping neural tube defects in infants. Their vitamin C content material aids in iron absorption, which may also help forestall anemia. 

In brief, tomatoes are a flexible and attractive ingredient and a dietary powerhouse providing a variety of well being advantages for canine.

Fascinating tomato information most individuals do not know

The tomato has an interesting historical past and cultural significance. Listed here are just a few curiosities about tomatoes:

1. Origin – The tomato is native to western South America and Central America. It was first used as meals by the Aztecs and different Native American peoples in southern Mexico.

2. European Introduction – Spanish explorers introduced tomatoes to Europe within the sixteenth century. Initially, they had been grown as decorative crops and had been believed to be toxic as a result of their resemblance to the lethal nightshade plant.

3. The Toxic Fantasy – Many Europeans feared tomatoes for a very long time as a result of they had been considered toxic. This was as a result of tomatoes are a part of the nightshade household, which incorporates a number of toxic species. Tomatoes are certainly poisonous when you eat the leaves and stems, however the fruit is completely secure for consumption.

4. The Pizza Connection – Tomatoes gained widespread acceptance in Europe within the late 18th century. In Italy, poor folks started utilizing tomatoes in tarts and pies, finally resulting in the invention of pizza.

5. Botanical Confusion – Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Botanically, tomatoes are a fruit as a result of they type from a flower and comprise seeds. Nonetheless, culinary contexts usually deal with them as greens due to their savoury flavour.

6. Selection – There are about 10,000 styles of tomatoes worldwide, various in dimension, form, and color. They vary from small cherry tomatoes to massive beefsteak tomatoes and from spherical to pear-shaped. As well as, they are often crimson, yellow, orange, inexperienced, purple, and even black.

7. The Tomato Pageant – In Spain, the city of Buñol hosts an annual competition referred to as La Tomatina. Hundreds of contributors throw ripe tomatoes at one another in an enormous tomato battle. This peculiar occasion has been held since 1945 and is a big vacationer attraction.

8. The Nice Tomato Debate – Within the USA, a case reached the Supreme Court docket in 1893 to determine whether or not tomatoes had been a fruit or vegetable. The court docket dominated that for commerce functions, tomatoes must be categorized as a vegetable since they had been sometimes served with dinner and never dessert. Nonetheless, the ruling was about costs, as greens had been topic to import duties, whereas fruits weren’t. 

Can canine eat tomatoes – FAQ

• Can canine eat uncooked tomatoes?

Sure, however solely ripe, crimson tomatoes which have been completely washed. If you wish to feed your canine tomatoes, keep away from inexperienced or unripe tomatoes as these are excessive in solanine, a pure chemical that’s poisonous to canine.

• How a lot tomato is secure for canine?

Tomatoes must be fed carefully, as a deal with. You can begin by giving your canine one or two slices to see how they react.

• Can canine eat cherry tomatoes?

Sure, as with common tomatoes, ensure they’re ripe first and feed carefully.


• Are tomatoes toxic for canine?

No, ripe tomatoes are secure for canine as an occasional deal with. Be certain that to take away the stems and leaves and keep away from inexperienced tomatoes as these comprise solanine and tomatine which are poisonous to canine.


• Can canine have tomato juice?

Sure, if the juice is do-it-yourself and produced from ripe tomatoes. Keep away from feeding your canine retailer purchased tomato juice as it will probably comprise preservatives, components and seasonings which are unhealthy for canine.