Potatoes are one of the foods we commonly eat but can be toxic to our pets if they eat them, especially if they are eaten raw, green, and sprouted.
Why are potatoes poisonous?
The potato belongs to the Solanaceae family, among which there are many other plants poisonous to ingestion, such as love apple or even tobacco.
The toxic principles of potatoes are alkaloids called solanine and chaconine. These molecules are naturally present in the whole plant, in the leaves, fruits, flowers, sprouts and even tubers that we eat. These molecules have cardiac, motor, digestive, nervous, hepatic and fetal toxicities.
Sun exposure, sprouting and greening of potatoes increase their alkaloid content and, therefore, their toxic potential.
What are the doses of toxic potatoes for dogs?
Little is known about the toxic doses of potato. However, the Nantes veterinary poison control centre (CAPAE Ouest) reports proven toxicity beyond the consumption of 30g of green potatoes per kg of body weight.
Cooking potatoes reduces the toxicity of potatoes by removing alkaloids, toxic molecules, from the cooking water.
What are the signs of potato poisoning in dogs?
The toxic molecules of the potato have an irritant action on the digestive mucous membranes and an inhibitory action on enzymes involved in the transmissions of nerve impulses.
Symptoms of acute potato poisoning may appear approximately 12 hours after ingestion. They are of the order:
digestive: refusal of the dog to eat, excessive salivation, constipation followed by diarrhoea with black stools, swelling of the abdomen by the accumulation of gas, inflammation of the oral mucosa,
nervous: depression, drowsiness, uncoordinated movements, tremors, dizziness, loss of balance,
respiratory: onset of breathing difficulties.
In the event of massive potato ingestion, the animal may be paralysed entirely, followed by a comma, which results in the animal’s death within 24 hours.
Potato poisoning in dogs: what to do and what remedy?
Suppose your dog has eaten raw potatoes that you suspect may be poisoned. In that case, the only thing to do if your dog has eaten raw potatoes that you suspect may be poisoned is to call your veterinarian or a veterinary poison control centre as soon as possible.
There is no antidote for potato poisoning, but only your veterinarian will be able to treat the symptoms of poisoning.
Except with massive ingestion, the animal’s prognosis is generally reasonable.