Can Dogs Eat Cooked Tomatoes?

Tomatoes are an everyday ingredient in our kitchens.

When preparing a juicy steak dinner with some thick tomato soup, your fur friend will be drooling, waiting to join in the feasting.

It’s tempting to resist offering a bowl, considering they’re your favorite companion, but is cooked tomato safe for them?

Can dogs eat cooked tomatoes?

It depends; plain unseasoned cooked tomatoes are safe for dogs in small amounts.

However, any seasoned tomato sauce or soup is dangerous due to sodium levels and spices.

Tomatoes are a healthy snack with good sources of vitamin A and vitamin C, but they also contain solanine and tomatine, which can cause poisoning.

Consult your vet before adding cooked tomatoes to your dog’s diet.

Are you wondering if pups can eat cooked tomatoes?

Let’s explore the risk to your dog when you feed it some tomato stew.

Can Dogs Eat Cooked Tomatoes

Are cooked tomatoes good for dogs? Health benefits

Tomatoes, cooked or raw, offer dense nutrients for dogs.

The amount of these nutrients in the tomato heavily depends on the quality of the fruit. Such benefits include;

Weight control

Tomatoes are low in calories, making them an ideal snack for your dog without risking weight gain and other chronic diseases associated with fatty foods.

The fiber in tomatoes creates a sense of fullness, making your canine friend feel full longer; thus, ingesting a few calories; helps in weight management.

Boosts immunity

Lycopene in ripe tomatoes promotes strong bone formation in young puppies and helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Tomatoes also contain beta-carotene, which improves cognitive functioning.

Raw tomatoes contain minerals like potassium and folate that help regulate blood pressure and promote muscle health.

Improved vision

Lack of vitamin A in your digs diet will result in eyesight problems like cataracts ad night blindness.

Tomatoes contain vitamin A and beta-carotene, which delay degeneration, aiding vision.

Digestive aid

Tomatoes are fibrous, with soluble and insoluble fiber that aids digestion when consumed in safe amounts.

Fiber also reduces carcinogen exposure minimizing risks of colon cancer.

Similarly, sufficient amounts of fiber help relieve symptoms of diarrhea and constipation in dogs.

Are cooked tomatoes bad for dogs? Health risks

Cooked tomatoes are healthy for dogs but pose a few risks, especially in large amounts.

Allergies

Nightshade plants are an allergen in the dog world, and some pups may develop allergic reactions on the first interaction with tomatoes.

Mild reactions manifest as vomiting, bloating, excessive itching and paw licking, hot spots, and skin problems.

Some canines may experience extreme sensitivity to cooked tomatoes and develop severe reactions after ingesting them.

Watch for signs like hives, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, and neck swelling.

Stop feeding cooked tomatoes to your pet and contact your vet immediately to avoid further complications.

Sodium poisoning

The level of sodium is high in processed or stewed tomatoes.

This increases the chances of your dog developing diabetes and metabolic disorders if consumed often.

Store-bought cooked tomatoes, popular among households, contain loads of sodium-based preservatives like nitrates and nitrites.

Symptoms of high sodium intake in dogs:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Lethargy
  • Abnormal fluid accumulation
  • Kidney damage
  • Seizures or coma

How do I safely feed my dog cooked tomatoes?

Knowing the benefits of tomatoes for your dog is one part of the puzzle.

The how-to feed them matters in maximizing the nutritional elements and reducing health risks. 

Proper preparation: Remove all the green foliage parts of the tomatoes and clean them gently before feeding your dog. Make bite-size cuts and cook without oil or spices.

Moderation: Although tomatoes are safe for canines and present in most commercial dog food, serve them sparingly. Otherwise, too much may cause gastrointestinal upset.

Plain puree: Feed your pup plain tomato sauce. Instead of store-bought sauce, blend a few at home and give your furry pal. Make sure commercial sauces are free from additives.

What should I do when my dog overeats cooked tomatoes?

In case your dog overeats cooked tomatoes, you first want to find out the ingredients in the cooked tomatoes and the amount ingested.

Plain or mildly seasoned (dog-safe spices) cooked tomatoes will result in mild gastrointestinal issues that will subdue shortly; no need to panic.

Watch out for signs like drooling, low appetite, and behavioral change.

Monitor them closely, and offer plenty of water.

On the flip side, if your dog ingests large amounts of heavily seasoned cooked tomatoes, there is a likelihood of developing sodium poisoning.

It manifests as gastrointestinal upset, lethargy, and seizures; contact your vet immediately if you see these signs.

Can dogs eat unripe tomatoes?

Unripe tomatoes contain traces of toxins (solanine and tomatine) which cause tomato toxicity, otherwise known as tomatine poisoning.

Solanine is concentrated in the green parts of tomatoes—ingesting it in large amounts causes stomach irritation and gastrointestinal upsets.

Nonetheless, it’s unlikely for canines to ingest many unripe tomatoes enough to cause tomatine toxicity.

However, for small breeds like Chihuahua, even a tiny amount could lead to tomatine poisoning.

The severity of the symptoms depends on the number of unripe tomatoes ingested, dog size, and preexisting medical conditions.

Symptoms include;

  • Poor appetite
  • Gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea)
  • Drowsiness
  • Muscle weakness
  • Behavioral change
  • Lethargy
  • Seizures

Can dogs safely eat tomato sauce?

A tomato-only puree is safe for your dog to consume.
However, most commercial ketchup and sauces contain additives like chives, garlic, and onions, which can harm your dog’s health.
Although plain sauces are safe for dogs, most lack adequate nutritional value.
Carefully read the label for ingredients since most ketchup contains sugars harmful to dogs.
Some plain sauces are loaded with artificial sweeteners like xylitol which is a lethal component to dogs even when ingested in small amounts.
Xylitol poisoning is fatal if not treated immediately.
Contact your vet if you notice lethargy, excessive drooling, and seizures.

Let’s wrap it up

Plain and unseasoned cooked tomatoes are an excellent addition to your dog’s diet.

They increase their nutritional intake of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants essential for proper functioning.

Unfortunately, the nutrient-dense profile is accompanied by some toxicity (tomatine poisoning) dangerous to canines but in unripe form.

Now that you have the details on safely feeding your dog cooked tomatoes have fun sharing this nutritious veggie with your furry friend.

Megan Turner

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *