You are peeling potatoes for Sunday dinner. The skins are piling up on the counter, and a few round, raw chunks roll off the cutting board and hit the floor.
Your dog, who has been hovering like a vacuum cleaner, snaps them up before you can say “Leave it!” You hear the loud crunch, crunch, crunch of them chewing the hard, starchy vegetable.
It’s just a potato, right? It’s a staple food. Humans eat them every day. But then a memory triggers in the back of your mind about “Nightshades” and toxins. You start to worry.
You ask yourself: Can dogs eat raw potatoes?
As a veterinary nutrition expert, I need you to take this seriously. While a cooked potato is a harmless fluffy treat, a raw potato is a completely different chemical entity. It belongs to the Nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), which means in its raw state, it defends itself with a toxic compound that can attack your dog’s nervous system.
In this comprehensive toxicology guide, we will dig deep into the science of Solanine. We will explain why green skin is especially dangerous, the difference between white potatoes and sweet potatoes, and what to do if your dog just swallowed a whole raw spud.
🥔 The Quick Verdict: Raw vs. Cooked
Can dogs eat raw potatoes? NO.
- ❌ Raw Potatoes: TOXIC. Contain Solanine (neurotoxin). Hard to digest.
- ❌ Green Potatoes: DANGEROUS. Highest concentration of toxins.
- ✅ Cooked Potatoes: SAFE. Baking or boiling destroys most of the toxin.
- ✅ Sweet Potatoes: SAFE. Actually a different plant family!
The Hidden Danger: Understanding Solanine
To understand why the answer to “can dogs eat raw potatoes” is a hard “No,” we have to look at chemistry.
Potatoes produce a glycoalkaloid poison called Solanine. This is the plant’s natural pesticide. It produces it to stop bugs and animals from eating it while it grows.
Where is it found?
Solanine is found in the entire potato plant, but it is most concentrated in:
1. The Green Skin (sunburned spots).
2. The “Eyes” or sprouts.
3. The raw white flesh (in lower amounts).
What Does Solanine Do to Dogs?
Solanine inhibits a chemical in the body called cholinesterase. Without getting too bogged down in neurology, this means it messes with the transmission of nerve signals.
In mild cases, it irritates the gut. In severe cases (eating a lot of green skins), it causes neurological shutdown.
Symptoms of Potato Poisoning
If your dog ate a bag of raw potatoes or potato skins from the trash, watch for:
- Gastrointestinal: Severe vomiting, diarrhea, drooling.
- Neurological: Confusion, weakness, tremors, or seizures.
- Cardiac: Slow heart rate or difficulty breathing.
(If you see these signs, call the Pet Poison Helpline immediately).
The Green Potato Warning
Have you ever seen a potato that looks green under the skin? This happens when the potato is exposed to sunlight. The green color is chlorophyll (harmless), but it indicates that the potato has been “woken up” and is actively producing high levels of Solanine.
Never, ever let a dog eat a green potato, raw OR cooked. Even cooking doesn’t fully remove the toxin from green parts. Throw them away.
Cooked Potatoes: The Transformation
So, if raw is bad, why is “Potato” listed as an ingredient in dog food?
Heat changes everything.
When you bake, boil, or steam a white potato, two things happen:
- Solanine Reduction: The heat breaks down a significant amount of the solanine (especially if peeled).
- Starch Gelatinization: Raw potato starch is almost impossible for a dog to digest. It passes through unchanged or causes massive gas. Cooking breaks the starch down into digestible energy.
How to Serve Safely:
– Peel it: Remove the skin where toxins concentrate.
– Cook it plain: Boil or bake.
– Mash it: Mash it up without butter, milk, or salt.
Sweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes
This is a common point of confusion.
“Can dogs eat raw sweet potatoes?”
Technically, sweet potatoes are NOT nightshades. They are in the Morning Glory family. They do not contain Solanine. Therefore, a raw sweet potato is not “toxic” in the chemical sense.
HOWEVER, raw sweet potatoes are incredibly hard and fibrous. Eating one can cause:
– Choking.
– Intestinal Blockage.
– Severe stomach ache.
Verdict: Always cook sweet potatoes too, but they are generally the healthier, vitamin-packed choice for dogs compared to white potatoes.
The French Fry Factor
We can’t talk about potatoes without talking about their most popular form: The Fry.
Can dogs eat French Fries?
Technically, yes, they are cooked. The solanine is gone. But they are replaced by new dangers:
- Fat: Deep frying soaks the potato in oil. This causes Pancreatitis.
- Salt: Fries are loaded with sodium.
- Ketchup: Often contains onion powder or high fructose corn syrup.
One fry won’t kill your dog, but sharing your McDonald’s meal is a bad habit that leads to obesity and health issues.
My Dog Ate a Raw Potato: The Action Plan
Accidents happen. You dropped it, they ate it. What now?
Scenario A: One small slice of white potato
Status: Likely Fine.
Action: Monitor. They might vomit or have loose stool because of the indigestible starch, but solanine poisoning is unlikely from one slice.
Scenario B: A whole raw potato
Status: Caution.
Action: The risk here is blockage (did they swallow it whole?) and toxicity. Call your vet. They might ask you to induce vomiting if it was recent to get the toxin out.
Scenario C: Potato Skins / Green Potatoes
Status: Warning.
Action: This is where the toxin lives. Watch closely for neurological signs (stumbling, dilated pupils). If you see any odd behavior, go to the ER.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can dogs eat potato chips?
A: No. They aren’t toxic, but they are junk food. High salt, processed oil, and onion/garlic powder flavorings make them unsafe. One chip is fine; a bag is dangerous.
Q: Can dogs eat mashed potatoes?
A: Only if you make them separately. The mashed potatoes on your dinner table usually contain milk, butter, salt, and garlic. These ingredients cause diarrhea. Plain mashed potato is safe.
Q: Are purple or red potatoes safe?
A: They follow the same rules as white potatoes (Russets/Yukon Gold). They are Nightshades. They must be cooked and peeled to be safe.
Q: Is potato starch in dog food bad?
A: No. Potato starch in kibble is highly processed and cooked. It is a safe carbohydrate source used in many “Grain-Free” diets.
Final Thoughts
So, can dogs eat raw potatoes? No. It is a risk you do not need to take.
While the humble potato is a versatile and delicious food for humans, in its raw state, it is a defensive plant protecting itself with toxins. If you want to share a spud with your bud, bake it, boil it, or mash it—and leave the butter in the fridge.
For more advice on safe veggies, check out our guide on Broccoli Safety in our extensive Nutrition library.