Can dogs eat tomatoes? A very good question indeed and the answer is yes they can; but because of their curious nature, dogs will and can eat anything they can find. My own dog ate a glass decorative swan (without incurring even a minor cut). Just because they can certainly doesn’t mean that they should eat tomatoes as a part of their dog food diet.
As humans, we are aware of the health benefits of tomatoes and the importance of having it as a part of a well balanced diet. Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene – known to lower the risk of degenerative disease and some types of cancer. Tomatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin A and C. But it seems that a dog’s digestive, urinary and nervous system does not need nor react to the benefit of tomatoes as humans. In fact, it can have a very negative effect. Some would say that tomato sauce would kill any toxins by the heat of cooking; but just like some humans, tomato sauce contains a lot of acid for sensitive stomach.
For a dog to safely eat tomatoes; they should be ripe and not consumed in large quantities. An occasional cherry tomato will cause no harm if your dog enjoys it, and of course is not allergic to that particular fruit. Large amounts of healthy red ripe, non toxic tomatoes can cause a rapid heart rate and/or tremors in your dog.
Leaves and stems of the plant and unripe tomatoes contain atropine alkaloids and atropine. Tomatine alkaloid is very poisonous to your canine friend. Most of us can tolerate the mild toxic effects of this sort, but tomato toxicity can result in a coma or worse; death of your beloved pet. Symptoms of tomato toxicity can include: vomiting; excessive drooling; constipation or diarrhea; central nervous systems shut down; muscle weakness; dilated pupils: breathing difficulty. This ingested toxicity is not properly absorbed by the dogs intestines and at the very least causes stomach upset and intestinal distress.
There are too many variables and risks on the table regarding feeding this particular fruit to my “best friend”. It is highly suggested to keep your curious canines away from your vegetable garden with a gate or keep your vegetable patch away from an area that your dog has access to.
As responsible dog owners and lover of dogs, let us revisit the question “Can dogs eat tomatoes”? The proper and more responsible answer would be “NO”.