Can Dogs Eat Tomato Sauce?

Dogs can eat a variety of foods. However, not everything that your dog wants to eat is actually good for them. Many dog owners have reservations on what they feed their dogs and for good reason. While tomatoes are not harmful to dogs, it is not recommended that you feed your dog tomato sauce. The reason for this is that tomato sauces generally have a long list of other ingredients, such as onions and garlic. While these are delicious additions for humans, they can be poisonous for dogs.

Tomato Profile

Tomatoes belong to a group of plants called Solanaceae, which are highly toxic. The good news, however, is that these toxins are only present in certain parts of the plant and are only potent during certain stages of the plant’s life. In the case of the tomato, the toxin is called “alpha-tomatine” and is usually high only in unripe tomatoes. Ripe tomatoes have a low amount of the alkaloids, and your dog would have to eat large quantities of tomatoes for them to get the slightest form of poisoning.

Hidden ingredients

Tomato sauces, especially premade sauces, are laden with other ingredients besides the tomatoes. Some ingredients found include garlic and onion, neither of which are good for your dog. This is especially true for garlic. Garlic contains “thiosulphate” which causes anemia in dogs by destroying red blood cells. In the worst case scenario, it can even lead to death. Symptoms of thiosulphate poisoning include vomiting, weakness, and diarrhea. The salt, sugars, and pepper found in tomato sauce are harmless to dogs as long as they are taken in moderation.

Help – My Dog Has Already Eaten Tomato Sauce!

As a pet owner, you may not always be there to monitor what your dog eats. If you find yourself in a situation where your dog shows symptoms of poisoning the best course of action is to rush the dog to the nearest vet for quick treatment. This is especially true if your dog is small.