Potatoes?

Why it’s fine in small amounts

Potatoes belong to the nightshade family, and cooked plain they make a reasonable occasional food. They supply carbohydrate, and little a balanced dog food does not already provide.

The concern is solanine, a natural toxin found in nightshade plants. It collects in green patches on the skin and in sprouts. AKC says to avoid green potatoes entirely, and PetMD lists vomiting, diarrhea and weakness as signs of solanine exposure, with neurologic problems possible after large amounts. PetMD also notes that raw potato is hard to digest and can cause gas, bloating, vomiting or diarrhea, while AKC advises cooking until soft enough to mash.

The other risk is what we add. Butter, oil, salt, garlic and onion turn a harmless side into a fatty, salty dish, and AKC quotes a veterinarian warning that lots of butter can trigger pancreatitis. Potatoes are also high in carbohydrate, so dogs with diabetes should only have them with a vet's approval.

How to serve it safely

Boil, bake or steam a plain potato until it is soft enough to mash, let it cool, and stir a spoonful or a few small cubes into your dog's regular food. Cooked skin is fine in small amounts if it is not green. Discard any potato with green patches or sprouts instead of feeding it.

Keep the portion small and scaled to your dog's size, since a small dog needs far less than a large one, and count it toward the treat allowance of about 10% of daily calories. If you want a sweeter option, sweet potatoes are a more nutritious choice, according to AKC. Skip french fries, hash browns and anything seasoned.

If your dog already ate it

A bite of plain cooked potato is nothing to worry about. If your dog got into raw potato, peels, or a green or sprouting potato, watch for vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or weakness.

Call your vet if any of these appear or you cannot tell how much was eaten. For a suspected poisoning, call your vet, an emergency clinic, ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 or Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661 (US; fees may apply). Outside the US, call your local emergency vet. Do not make your dog vomit at home.

If the potatoes were buttery, fried or heavily seasoned, also watch for repeated vomiting, belly pain and loss of appetite, which can signal pancreatitis.