Should You Be Feeding Tomatoes To Your Dogs? Here's What You Need To Know

Tomatoes are juicy and refreshing – a staple of any summer! But as your dog begs for a taste of this bright red fruit, you have to wonder – is it safe for them? After all, plenty of human foods are no good for dogs, even nutritious ones – and tomatoes are very nutritious.

Here’s what you need to know about tomatoes in relation to your canine companions!

Plant Toxicity

As a member of the family of nightshades, tomato plants contain alkaloids that can be mildly toxic for humans. They’re more toxic for dogs, though not outright frightening in toxicity.

Leaves, unripe fruit, and stems all have these alkaloids. Most dogs won’t eat enough of the plant to face severe consequences, but it’s better safe than sorry, so keep them away from your tomato plants.

Ripe Tomatoes

Ripe tomatoes are 100% safe for dogs. They’re juicy and full of healthy components that make them great snacks, or even good ingredients for homemade treats.

Feeding Tomatoes

To feed your dog tomatoes safely, cut the fruit so that the harder, firmer portions are small enough to avoid any choking hazard. Don’t give them whole fruit, and try not to get canned tomatoes that have a ton of salt on them – some will specify they have no added salt, and those are fine.

Never give your dog any tomato-flavored food without reading through all the ingredients. Even non-toxic ingredients can be unhealthy and have a lot of unnecessary calories or fats!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay