Can potatoes be given to dogs and what are the restrictions?

A conscientious and caring owner will not allow his dog to eat foods that can harm his health. Proper nutrition for a pet is the key to its activity and well-being for many years. At the same time, the owner himself will significantly save the costs of veterinarian services and payment for medicines for the animal. In this regard, the question arises, is it possible to give potatoes to dogs.

Potatoes are a root vegetable that is primarily rich in carbohydrates. They make up almost a third of the total composition of tubers. Next comes vegetable fiber, and in third place in the list of nutritional value of this product, vegetable proteins should be mentioned. The tubers contain vitamins and minerals that are considered beneficial for digestion. There are almost no fats in potatoes, there is absolutely no cholesterol, unless, of course, they are first fried in oil. The composition of potatoes is really useful, but for humans.

Dogs by their biological origin are not herbivores. Their digestion is "sharpened" by nature for the type of food of predators. Potatoes could never have been present in their diet in the wild. But that was before the dog was domesticated. With the beginning of life together with a person, the dogs began to use many of the things that were completely inaccessible to them in nature.

Plant foods, including potatoes, are rich in fiber, which provokes increased intestinal motility in animals that are created to feed on animal proteins and fats. Potatoes are difficult to digest by them, increases the likelihood of intestinal upset, diarrhea.

If you give potatoes in small quantities, then the product can partially compensate for the deficiency of minerals and vitamins. For example, 1 root vegetable almost meets the daily requirement for ascorbic acid for a medium-sized dog. The presence of quercetin in the composition makes potatoes a real antioxidant that helps prevent the development of tumors. In the composition of dog food, manufacturers, with the knowledge of veterinarians, introduce dry potatoes, but under factory conditions, they are completely freed from the presence of the starchy component. It is impossible to do this at home.

Harmful potatoes for dogs become when his dog eats too often. An abundance of starch for both an adult and a puppy - the path to permanent obesity. What unpleasant consequences obesity threatens a dog, everyone knows. If the dog loves potatoes, but moves a little, lives in an apartment, walks briefly and infrequently, then physical inactivity brings these negative consequences of obesity closer.

Starch leads to an increase in the glycemic index, and therefore A diet high in potatoes can cause your dog to develop diabetes. Many breeds suffer from deficiency of certain enzymes due to artificial origin. And in such dogs, with a high degree of probability, root crops can cause a severe allergic reaction, constant intestinal disorders.

It is not difficult to calculate it - 100-150 grams of potatoes per week. These are 2 medium-sized tubers for large dogs or 1 small potato, the mass of which does not exceed 50 grams, for small dogs.

Raw potatoes are not as tasty, but healthier than boiled or stewed ones. Therefore, it is best to give potatoes raw to dogs. Root crops before feeding are washed, cleaned, rubbed and mixed with feed. Large dogs do not need to grate the tuber, but finely chop it with a knife.

Better, if the tubers are from a young crop, because old potatoes, which have been stored for a long time, accumulate toxic substances. The most dangerous is the green potato. This color gives the root vegetable the presence of the strongest poison solanine in it, which is dangerous for humans too. But for a dog, it can be fatal.

Solanin destroys nerve connections, causes disturbances in the functioning of the hematopoietic organs, causes symptoms of poisoning, vomiting, diarrhea. Solanine is excreted by the kidneys, and a large amount of it can lead to the development of renal failure and death of the animal. The poison content is always higher in old and sprouted tubers. They cannot be used for feeding dogs.

Boiled or baked potatoes contain fewer healthy vitamins and minerals. Boiled potatoes are a heavy burden on the dog's digestion, and often dogs who are fed boiled potatoes gain excess weight in a short time.

If you decide to give the doggie boiled potatoes, better to cook it in a uniform... So the tubers will be able to retain more nutrients during processing.

Fried potatoes are strictly contraindicated for dogs., since it contains a large proportion of cholesterol and carcinogens, which contribute to the gradual development of cancer. Remember that when giving boiled potatoes, it must first be cooled. If a dog accidentally ate a boiled tuber or mashed potatoes, there is no need to panic - rare episodes of such eating behavior should not lead to negative consequences.

Do not give vegetables to dogs that have an individual predisposition to digestive and intestinal problems. Usually these are breeds that are artificially bred. It is undesirable, veterinarians believe, to give a vegetable to puppies. Babies have even fewer enzymes that can help digest foods than older pets. And therefore, up to a year, you should not give a root crop to representatives of any breeds.

Also, veterinarians do not welcome potato feeding to pregnant bitches and lactating individuals. If such a dog eats potatoes, then a large part of its energy reserves is spent on its own digestion. Food for lactating and pregnant dogs should be easily digestible. At the first introduction of complementary foods in the form of potatoes, you need to give a small dose and carefully monitor the condition of the pet during the day. If signs of indigestion or lethargy appear, further use of the product should be discarded.

Unfortunately, this scenario is not excluded. Especially if the dog is interested in potatoes and can steal a few raw tubers secretly from the owner. In case of poisoning, the dog will weakness in the limbs, involuntary tremors of the muzzle and paws, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain. Having paid attention to such symptoms, you need to give the dog first aid.

You can water the dog with a light, very weak solution of potassium permanganate through a syringe, blowing a stream of liquid along the cheek so that the dog does not spit it out. After vomiting, you should give any human absorbent at your disposal, for example, Polysorb, Enterosgel or ordinary activated carbon. After that, you need to as soon as possible deliver the animal for an urgent appointment to the veterinarian, who will be able to provide further qualified assistance.

You can learn about the dangers of potatoes for a dog and what other foods can be deadly from the video below.