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Pawrennial

Can dogs eat tomatoes?

Only with care.

Small pieces of ripe, red tomato are safe for most dogs. The green parts are the problem: unripe tomatoes, leaves, and stems contain tomatine and solanine, which can make dogs ill. Keep dogs out of tomato plants.

Ripe tomatoes vs the green parts

Ripe red tomatoes are considered non-toxic to dogs and can be an occasional treat. The toxins tomatine and solanine are found mostly in the green parts of the plant: the leaves, stems, and unripe green tomatoes.

Serious poisoning is rare, because a dog would need to eat a lot of the plant, but small dogs and puppies are more at risk.

Signs of tomato plant poisoning

Call your vet if your dog ate tomato plants or green tomatoes and shows any of these:

  • Vomiting, diarrhea, or belly pain
  • Drooling, weakness, or tiredness
  • Loss of coordination or wobbliness
  • Dilated pupils, tremors, or seizures
  • An irregular heartbeat

Tomato sauce, ketchup, and soup

Skip them. Tomato-based foods usually contain onion and garlic, which are toxic to dogs, plus salt, sugar, and spices. Pizza and pasta sauce are common culprits.

How to serve tomatoes

  • Only ripe, red tomato, washed and cut into small pieces
  • No stems or leaves
  • Plain: no salt, oil, or seasoning
  • A piece or two at a time

If you grow tomatoes, fence off the garden or keep potted plants out of reach.

Helpful tools and guides

Frequently asked questions

My dog ate a cherry tomato. Is that OK?

A ripe cherry tomato is very unlikely to cause problems for most dogs. Cut them in half in future for small dogs, as whole ones can be a choking risk.

Can dogs eat tomato sauce?

No. Most tomato sauces contain onion and garlic, which damage dogs' red blood cells, as well as salt and sugar.

Are tomato plants poisonous to dogs?

The leaves, stems, and green tomatoes contain tomatine and solanine. Small nibbles usually cause no more than stomach upset, but call your vet if your dog ate a lot or shows signs like weakness, wobbliness, or tremors.

Sources

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