Mashed, baked, fried, or roasted, humans can enjoy potatoes in many delicious ways. The smooth white mashed potatoes dribbling in butter look appetizing on your plate. Many questions arise in pet parents’ minds about potatoes, like, can their fur baby munch on mashed potatoes? Are there any health hazards related to mashed potatoes?
Happily, yes, you can feed your four-legged friend roasted, cooked, or boiled mashed potatoes with no additives & seasonings. Mashed potatoes provide many health benefits to your pet & hold nutrients elemental for your dog. They can help your dog’s digestion, regulate blood sugar levels, relieve inflammations, boost nervous & immune systems, and support body systems. But overconsumption can trigger diarrhea, allergic reactions, or solanine toxicity. So offer a moderate amount of mashed potato.
This article includes all the critical information related to mashed potatoes, like nutritional facts, health hazards, and mashed potato quantity dogs can safely devour. Further discussion will unveil the truths about buttered, cheesy, garlic, or seasoned mashed potatoes. Keep reading.
Can Dogs Eat Potatoes?
Yes, dogs can devour potatoes if they are cooked plain & offered in moderation. Your dog can also ingest roasted potatoes if they are devoid of butter or spices. It’s the best way to let your dog enjoy potatoes. Be cautious with raw potatoes due to their harmful solanine compound, which is detrimental to dogs. Cook potatoes properly before offering them to your pet. Before adding potatoes to your pet’s diet, ask your vet first.
You shouldn’t feed too many potatoes to your diabetic pooch as they can raise blood sugar levels.
Nutritional Facts of Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes can supplement your canine’s diet with much-needed nutrients and provide many health benefits.
Regulate Blood Sugar Level
Potatoes are a good source of sugar which help to regulate your dog’s blood sugar level. But if your dog is diabetic, then feeding your dog mashed potatoes can worsen the situation.
Helps Digestive Function
A healthy dose of fiber in mashed potatoes will aid your pet in digestion. A balanced amount of fiber in a dog’s diet is essential to keep their GI (gastrointestinal) tract moving & healthy and digesting food appropriately.
Contains Antioxidants
Mashed potatoes are a rich source of antioxidants like quercetin (an anti-inflammatory compound). Antioxidants fight against and reduce inflammation by binding & suppressing free radicals (inflammation-promoting molecules). Other than that, antioxidants:
- Boost nervous system
- Boost dog’s immune system
- Fight against the consequences of cognitive aging.
Contain Minerals
Minerals like potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron are also present in mashed potatoes; these aid in protecting:
- Cell growth
- Bone growth
- Kidney function
- Heart health
- Metabolism
Source of Vitamin C & B6
Vitamin C & B6 are present in reasonable amounts in potatoes. These vitamins aid in protecting the vital body systems. These body systems are required for the proper functioning of the body.
But after cooking, mashed potatoes’ amount of vitamin C & B6 decreases.
Quantity of Mashed Potato a Dog Can Devour
Periodically feeding plain mashed potatoes in small amounts to your pooch is as healthy as it’s for you. But always keep the amount moderate and never go overboard. Another factor to consider is your pet’s size. Large dogs can ingest more amounts of mashed potato safely compared to small dogs. Veterinarians suggest dog treats must be less than 10 % of the pet’s routine calorie intake. Seek advice from your canine’s vet.
Dogs suffering from constipation can also eat mashed potato safely compared to dogs with diarrhea/loose stool.
Which Dogs Should Avoid Mashed Potato?
If your dog is suffering from cancer, diabetes, or obesity, avoid feeding mashed potatoes because of the carbohydrate content of mashed potatoes. In dogs, carbs turn to sugar leading to further medical complications in such dogs.
Can Puppies Consume Mashed Potatoes?
Yes, dogs can devour mashed potatoes only if they are devoid of spices, seasonings, oil, or milk on them and served plain.
How Can Mashed Potatoes Be Detrimental to Dogs?
Overfeeding mashed potatoes can lead to different health hazards. Only feed a safe amount of mashed potato to your four-legged friend. Following are the common health hazards mashed potatoes can cause.
Allergic Reactions
Some pets are allergic to certain foods, which can induce allergic reactions in dogs. If you know your Fido is allergic to mashed potato, avoid feeding it to your pet. If your allergic pet accidentally ingests mashed potato, it may cause hypersensitivity. Immediately contact your vet or go to the nearest animal emergency room.
Adverse Allergic Reaction Signs
- Increased itching/grooming
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Nausea/vomiting
Diarrhea/Loose Stool
Overeating mashed potatoes can lead to a hypermotile condition in which digestive tract movement increases. Some pets are hypersensitive to the increased amount of fiber in their diet so they may develop loose stool or full-blown diarrhea. Many dog parents have reported that their pet has increased flatulence or gas after eating mashed potatoes.
The mashed potato treat can lead to extreme gas conditions, making your pet uncomfortable. Contact your vet immediately for assistance.
Can Your Dog Eat Potato Skin, Roots, Leaves, or Stems?
No, dogs can’t ingest potatoes’ skin, roots, leaves, or stems (green parts of potatoes) because these contain solanine (alkaloid chemical) which generates a toxic substance in the pet’s gastrointestinal tract when digested. The green parts of more-ripe potatoes include more solanine, developing more poisonous substances.
So feeding potatoes are safe but feeding roots, leaves, skin, or stems can be detrimental to your pet. If your Fido has accidentally consumed green parts of potatoes, he may develop solanine toxicity signs which include:
- Paralysis
- Muscle weakness
- Digestive upset
- Seizures
- Lethargy
- Tremors/ quivering
- Excessive drooling
- Coordination /movement issues
- Cardiac issues
Can Your Dog Eat Seasoned or Garlic Mashed Potato?
No, it would be best if you don’t feed seasoned or garlic mashed potatoes to your dog because garlic and seasonings are toxic to dogs and lead to:
- Unbalanced electrolytes
- Gastric upset
- Other toxicities
So you shouldn’t feed anything to your fur friend with garlic or seasoning.
Can Your Dog Consume Buttered or Cheesy Mashed Potato?
No, it would be best if you didn’t feed your fluffball buttered or cheesy mashed potatoes because of complications they can cause in dogs like:
- Diarrhea
- Gastric upset
- Vomiting
- Gas problems
Can Dogs Ingest Mashed Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, your pet can munch on mashed sweet potatoes only if their skin is removed correctly and cooked well, as it can be challenging for dogs to digest. Although sweet potatoes are full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, it’s recommended to serve this treat occasionally in moderation.
In the long run, overeating mashed sweet potatoes can lead to severe health problems.
Can Dogs Eat Raw Potatoes?
No, feeding raw potatoes can also be harmful to dogs due to the toxic solanine they contain, which is poisonous to dogs. But cooking reduces the solanine level; that’s why offering roasted potato to dogs is best.
If your pet has devoured raw potato, look for solanine intoxication symptoms, including lethargy, vomiting, or diarrhea. A medical checkup is recommended in such a case.
Can Dogs Consume Instant Mashed Potatoes?
No, you shouldn’t feed your canine instant mashed potatoes because these are seasoned with spices and chemicals (having a long shelf life), and both are harmful to dogs.
Can Your Dog Eat Chips?
Dogs shouldn’t consume fries or chips because of the seasoning (oil, salt, or spices) they contain that are detrimental to dogs. Fat content & salt in chips can devastate your canine’s digestive system. So avoiding chips is best.
Serving Mashed Potato to Dog
After consulting your vet & getting a green signal, offer your dog only 1 tablespoon worth of mashed potato. Dogs eat mashed potatoes happily. Here’s how you’d serve mashed potato to your fluff.
- Take a potato and remove all the green parts (stem, leaves) and skin.
- Thoroughly wash potatoes to remove pests, chemicals, or pesticides.
- Boil a pot of water. Chop the potato in quarters & put them in boiling water.
- Boil for around 10 to 20 minutes until the potatoes get softened.
- Now withdraw the potato pieces from the boiling water and put them in cool water.
- After cooling, mash the potato pieces with a fork or potato masher.
- Now prepare 1 tablespoon amount of mashed potato to feed your pet. Remember, avoid feeding mashed potatoes to dogs with health problems.
- You can place the excessive or leftover boiled potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for later use.
The Concluding Words On Mashed Potato Treat for Dogs
Haven’t you served your Fido mashed potatoes yet? Now is the best time to do it. But while serving, obey the 10% rule, i.e., veggies, morsels, or commercial treats should make 10 or less than 10 % of your Fido’s regular calorie intake (besides dog food). Overfeeding your furry friend can cause obesity. Make sure mashed potatoes are free of butter, spices, garlic, oils, salt, or other seasonings to avoid complications. It will eliminate the risk of GI tract upset, allergic reactions, or salt toxicity. Serving plain mashed potatoes is healthy for your fluffball.
How was your canine’s adventure with mashed potato treats? Has your dog sorrowed from any medical complications due to mashed potato eating?
Knowing your worthy experience is valuable for us.
