No, your dog should never get a raw potato as a part of their diet. If they manage to steal a small piece, it might cause a mild to moderate stomach upset, but it’s not dangerous.
Raw potatoes, and especially green raw potatoes and potatoes with green rim, contain solanine, which can be toxic to dogs if they eat a lot of them.
Potatoes belong to the Nightshade family, along with vegetables like tomatoes and eggplants. If they are not ripe, these vegetables (and other parts of the plants) contain solanine, a glycoalkaloid plant toxin. Solanine is also toxic to humans, cats, and horses.
Potatoes also include other glycoalkaloids, like chaconine.
How Much Solanine Is In a Potato?
Different type of potatoes have different levels of solanine. The toxin is present in the leaves, flowers, stems, and sprouts of the potato plant as well.
Commercial potatoes are screened for solanine levels, but improper storage can cause the toxin to build up. Always store potatoes in a cool, dark place.
If some green spots begin to appear, you can cut them out and cook them normally. If there’s more green area, throw it out to be safe.
| Potato part | Total glycoalkaloids (mg per 100g) |
|---|---|
| Whole tuber (potato) | 1 – 15 mg |
| Flesh | 1.2 – 10 mg |
| Skin (2 – 3% of tuber) | 30 – 60 mg |
| Peel (10 – 15% of tuber) | 15 – 30 mg |
| Peel from bitter tuber | 150 – 220 mg |
| Bitter tuber | 25 – 80 mg |
How Much Solanine Is Toxic For Dogs?
The approximate toxic level of solanine and related glycoalkaloids in the Nightshade family is between 0.1% to 1% per your dog’s weight, but these may vary depending on the species of the plant.
So if your dog weighs 25 kg (~55 lbs), they would need to eat 25 000 mg to 250 000 mg of glycoalkaloids. As you can see from the table above, your dog would need to eat a lot of potatoes to get such a dose.
Solanine Poisoning Symptoms
In most cases, dogs steal a fallen raw potato slice or cube, or a fallen potato peel. This usually doesn’t lead to a serious solanine poisoning. It can cause an upset stomach, though, and your dog may experience any of the following:
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- confusion
- no appetite
- weakness
- trembling
These symptoms typically appear within 12 hours after your pup has eaten a piece of a raw potato. If you see no symptoms, then your dog is likely fine. Remember, a small piece of a raw potato won’t harm your dog.
How Long Does Solanine Poisoning Last?
These symptoms should eventually resolve within 24–48 hours, depending on the amount of raw potato that your dog ate. If the vomiting and diarrhea don’t seem to be gradually fading, make sure to contact your vet.
If you think something isn’t right, better get in touch with your vet. It’s always better to make three unnecessary visits rather than one that is too late.
How Is Solanine Poisoning Treated?
If lethargy, vomiting, and/or diarrhea continue, it’s best to get your dog to a vet. Vets treat the symptoms of poisoning, which can take anywhere from a day to a few days depending on the severity of the case.
They will most likely prescribe your dog meds for gastrointestinal issues, such as meds for making them vomit and activated charcoal, and supply fluids via IV due to water loss from diarrhea and vomiting.
They may do additional blood and urine tests, other tests and imaging to figure out what’s wrong.
Can Solanine Poisoning Be Fatal?
Bear in mind that your dog would need to eat a lot of raw potatoes (ingest a big dose of solanine) to cause death. It’s very rare but not impossible, so make sure your pup doesn’t have access to raw potatoes, whether in your pantry or in the trash.
Animals don’t go out seeking potatoes, mostly it’s just curiosity.
Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potatoes Raw?
Despite their name, sweet potatoes don’t belong to the same Nightshade family with regular potatoes. As such, raw sweet potatoes do NOT contain solanine.
That being said, raw sweet potatoes can cause stomach upset as well, so they shouldn’t be fed to your dog unless cooked.
Further Reading
- Can Weimaraners Eat Fruit? List of safe and dangerous fruit for dogs
- Should Weimaraners eat grain-free food?
- What can I give my dog for constipation?
- Best food for Weimaraners
- Common health problems in Weimaraners
- Can dogs eat potatoes raw?
References:
- British Small Animal Veterinary Association. (2017). In BSAVA/VPIS guide to common canine and feline poisons.
- Dalvi RR, Bowie WC. Toxicology of solanine: an overview. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1983 Feb;25(1):13-5. PMID: 6338654.
- Plant poisoning: Solanine and related glycoalkaloids. Plant poisoning: solanine and related glycoalkaloids in dogs | Vetlexicon (link)
- Uluwaduge, D. (2018). Glycoalkaloids, bitter tasting toxicants in potatoes: A Review. International Journal of Food Science (link)
Dana
I’ve always loved dogs, ever since I was a child, but I wasn’t allowed to have one. I dog-sit my sister's Weimaraner often. I decided to start this blog and share what I’ve learned about Nelly, the Weimaraner breed, and dogs in general from scientific papers and journals and my own personal experience. Learn more about Dana.
