As a pet owner, one of your top priorities is making sure your dog is happy, healthy, and only eating food with ingredients that will help them stay active and energetic.
At Plato Pet Treats, we put ingredients first because your dog’s health comes first.
Understanding the ingredients and benefits of the food your pet is consuming is just one way to do this. Keep reading to learn how sweet potato can promote healthy skin, eyes, nerves, muscles, and help your dog have a shiny coat. Sweet potato is also filled with Vitamin A, C, B6 and more!
Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes?
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and if you’re anything like us, sweet potatoes will be on the menu. Sweet potatoes have a lot of health benefits for humans, but did you know they are an excellent source of dietary fiber and lower the risk of heart disease in dogs? Here are some other benefits of sweet potato for dogs:
Sweet potatoes are rich in Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 supports glucose generation, hormone regulation, nervous system function, and more. It also helps regulate your pup’s behavior by producing dopamine in the brain, which in turn calms your dog. Without B6, dogs can get irritable and depressed.
Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber. According to Pumpkin, sweet potatoes help dogs feel satiated longer, which makes it a great ingredient to add to your dog’s diet if you’re watching their weight.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with antioxidants. Dogs are exposed to toxins more than humans, so making sure your dog gets enough antioxidants in their diet is important. According to Care Animal Hospital, antioxidants “boost the immune-cell function for senior dogs and slow down the aging process of cellular molecules.” The type of antioxidants required depends on how old your dog is, so make sure to do your research and contact your veterinarian if you’re unsure.
Can My Dog Eat Raw Sweet Potatoes?
According to Pet MD, cooked sweet potatoes contain all the important nutrients your dog needs. It is also important to remove any skin so that the potato is more digestible!
Important Note: Raw sweet potato can get stuck in your dog’s gastrointestinal tract or be a choking hazard.
How to Give Sweet Potato to Your Dog
Here are a few methods for feeding sweet potatoes to your dog:
- Add cooked sweet potato cubes to your dog’s regular food as a topping!
- Dehydrate the sweet potatoes, sort of like a DIY treat.
- Mash cooked sweet potatoes and add them to your dog’s regular food.
Keep in mind that sweet potatoes should be a treat enjoyed in moderation, not an everyday occurrence.
Additional Questions about Sweet Potato for Dogs
Can dogs eat sweet potato pie?
It might be tempting to sneak your dog some sweet potato pie on Thanksgiving, but don’t do it! Cooked sweet potatoes are fine in moderation, but sweet potato pie is filled with sugar and spices that can be harmful to pets.
Can dogs eat sweet potato skins?
Sweet potato should be given to your dog skinned and cooked. All the nutrients come from cooked sweet potatoes and the skin can be a choking hazard.
Can dogs eat purple sweet potato?
Yes! Serve them the same way you’d serve regular sweet potatoes (cooked and with no skin) and you’re good to go.
Plato Puts Ingredients First
At Plato Pet Treats, we want the best for our dogs too – so we use limited ingredients, take the time to air-dry, and closely inspect every ingredient that goes in and out of our doors at our facility in Fresno, CA. We love our pets and want to provide the best we can for them, and when we bless them in this way, they continue to bless us with a better quality of life and longer lifespan. This is a beautiful thing, and this is what we call the Cycle of Virtue.
