Raw potato: NO
Potatoes, when eaten raw by dogs, are toxic due to:
- the solanine and chaconine it contains. These are alkaloids present in plants of the Solanaceae family to which the potato belongs alongside tomatoes, eggplant or even tobacco. These substances are highly toxic for dogs but also for humans and all animals. In the potato, these toxic substances are mainly concentrated in the skin and the germs, and in particular in green potatoes.
- its raw starch content, which is very indigestible for the dog. Consumed in large quantities, it can be responsible for relatively serious digestive disorders.
Baked potato: YES
When the potato is peeled and very well cooked, we got rid of the two elements that made it toxic when raw. In this form, it can therefore be fed without problem to a dog as a starchy food, a source of complex carbohydrates in a household ration.
Good to know!
In the absence of fresh potatoes, the potato can be given to a dog in the form of flakes of mashed potatoes (the classic recipe, without other added ingredients) rehydrated with hot water (but without milk ). It is also in this form that the pet food manufacturers who manufacture cereal-free croquettes introduce it into their recipes. Indeed, if grain-free croquettes are free of wheat, rice or even corn, they draw their source of starch (which is mandatory to make a croquette) in legumes and/or tubers such as potatoes. !
When it is well cooked and brought in reasonable quantities, the potato has the advantage of being relatively well digestible for the dog. The only drawback: it has a high glycemic index and could cause the dog's blood sugar level to rise more quickly and sharply after consumption.
And the sweet potato?
The "classic" baked potato can be given to a dog without any problem. On the other hand, it is necessary to avoid giving sweet potato to a dog, even cooked. Rich in oxalates, it could be the cause of stone formation.
Is potato contraindicated in some dogs?
Yes!
Because of its richness in starch, avoid giving potatoes:
- to dogs fed with kibble. All kibbles (and even grain-free kibbles) contain starch and the ability to digest this complex carbohydrate is limited in all dogs.It is therefore useless to bring more in their ration. This is even more true in Nordic dogs like the Siberian Husky or the Samoyed, who have even more difficulty digesting starch than other dogs,
- to diabetic dogs for whom the diet must have a reduced content of assimilable carbohydrates in general.
The contribution of cooked potato in a dog's food ration is therefore to be reserved for dogs fed with a classic household ration, replacing another source of starch such as rice for example.