Can dogs eat sweet potatoes?

Yes, sweet potatoes are a great snack that can captivate your dog’s taste buds! As long as they are cooked and fed in moderation, sweet potatoes can offer plenty of health benefits to your dog’s health. Sweet potatoes are low in calories and fat and contain high amounts of dietary fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Just make sure when feeding sweet potatoes, serve plain, cooked, and without its skin!

Why are cooked sweet potatoes good for dogs?

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, which encourages a healthier digestive system and helps lower the risk of heart disease. Sweet potatoes are whole foods that make them easily digestible for your dog and are often used as an ingredient in dog foods. Sweet potatoes are low in calories and fat, which makes them a great healthy snack. In addition, sweet potatoes contain vitamins A, C, B6, calcium, and potassium, which support the eyes, muscles, nerves, skin, and a dog’s immune system.

Nutritional guide on sweet potatoes for dogs

The following is a list of all of the nutritional benefits found in sweet potatoes for dogs:

• Dietary Fibers

  Sweet potatoes are one of the vegetables that are high in fiber. Fiber helps your pet's digestive system and helps with digestive issues, such as diarrhea or constipation. Fiber-rich diets can help your dog feel fuller for longer, which can help manage weight for obesity and help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer.

• Antioxidants

  Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants. Purple sweet potatoes contain more anthocyanins, while yellow sweet potatoes contain more beta-carotene.

• Vitamins
  • Vitamin C: Helps your pet's immune system. It is also known to help with cognitive problems due to aging.
  • Vitamin A: Your pet's body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which strengthens the immune system and keeps skin, coat, and vision healthy.
  • Vitamin B6: Helps your pet's body produce red blood cells, hemoglobin, and insulin.
• Minerals
  • Potassium: Helps your heart, nerves, and muscles function properly.
  • Calcium is an essential nutrient for growth and helps form and maintain the skeleton, such as bones and teeth.
  • Iron: Supports the formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body and generates energy.

How to prepare sweet potatoes for your dog

When feeding sweet potatoes to puppies, they should be baked, boiled, cooked, or dried at low temperatures for a long time. The skin is hard for your dog to digest, so remove it before feeding any sweet potatoes.

If you have never served sweet potatoes, try cutting them into bite-sized pieces to test in small quantities first. It is always a good habit to check for an allergic reaction, as severe reactions can cause digestive problems, such as vomiting or diarrhea. If everything checks out, be sure to avoid a choking hazard by serving small portions, and the sweet potato has a soft consistency. Due to high amounts of carbohydrates, it is recommended not to feed any sweet potatoes to obese or diabetic dogs.

Frequently asked questions about feeding sweet potatoes to dogs

Can I feed my dog raw sweet potatoes?

Raw sweet potatoes are hard to chew and can pose a choking hazard or block the gastrointestinal tract if swallowed. Raw sweet potatoes contain too much fiber for a dog to digest properly. That is why the best way to feed sweet potatoes is plainly cooked.

Can I feed sweet potato stems or skins?

Sweet potato stalks are known to be toxic to dogs and can cause digestive symptoms and intestinal blockage. Sweet potato skins are difficult for pets to digest and should be peeled thoroughly before serving.

Can I feed sweet potato products such as potato soup, chips, pies, and fries?

Canned sweet potatoes contain chemicals to preserve them, which may cause digestive problems in dogs. Sweet potato chips, pies, and fries may contain a lot of oil and sweeteners that are toxic to dogs. It is always a good idea to check the label before giving any human food to your dog.

You may also want to know these things about giving your dog sweet potatoes!

Feeding too much sweet potato can harm your pet's health. Excess vitamin A can cause bone thinning, and since dogs primarily need more protein than carbohydrates, it should be fed as a snack rather than a staple food.

• Glycemic index

  Sweet potatoes have a high glycemic index compared to other fruits and vegetables. This typically is not a big deal, but if you're overweight or diabetic, you should consult your veterinarian before feeding.

• Food allergies

  As with any other food, the first time trying any new food item may cause an allergic reaction and cause intolerance. Giving a small amount of the first food to be tested and monitored for signs of allergy is recommended. If your puppy shows any signs of an allergy, stop feeding and contact your veterinarian immediately.

• Signs of an allergic reaction to look out for:
  • Skin problems: Hives, facial swelling, itchiness
  • Digestive problems: vomiting and diarrhea
  • Shortness of breath

Is there any food that dogs can eat other than sweet potatoes?

Does your dog also look up at you with those puppy dog eyes whenever you are snacking on something? You know foods like chocolates should not be shared with them but do you search the Internet every time if it’s okay to share a bite of whatever you are eating? The Buddydoc Food Dictionary provides information on hundreds of foods that we consume and informs you whether it is safe for them to consume and nutritional benefits for your pet. If you're curious about other foods, try searching on Buddydoc!