# Sweet potato?



## EvilNessCroft (Feb 17, 2009)

I was just wondering if I can give my dog a sweet potato? Are they harmful?Because I'm looking for something for her to chew today and we have no more carrots and morrow bones :uhoh: And nothing to put in her Kong but peanut butter... I was wondering if I could freeze one and give it to her like I usually do with carrots!


----------



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I don't know about a whole sweet potato, but I give my dogs pieces of dried sweet potato or slices of fresh ones all the time.


----------



## Bock (Jun 23, 2008)

Also not sure about a whole one, but the dog food I used to feed was fish and sweet potato as the main carb.


----------



## EvilNessCroft (Feb 17, 2009)

ok, so I can give her slices then or put some in cubes in her Kong?


----------



## jnmarr (Mar 7, 2008)

Mine love cooked sweet potatoes. Sometimes I even bake treats using them. They are also a great way to hide pills!


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

Brooks loves cooked sweet potatoes and cooked yellow squash


----------



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

Teddi LOVES sweet potato treats! I was contemplating switching her food at one point to something with sweet potato because she loves it so much. 

On one of my boards, they were talking about home made dehydrated sweet potato treats. I need to find that. You can do it in the oven without a dehydrator. I want to try in when it is cold enough to keep an oven on that long (not July) Hey if it saves me money on dog treats that is a good thing.


----------



## Jo Ellen (Feb 25, 2007)

Bake the sweet potato and use it for kong stuffing. Your house will smell good and your dog will love you!

Sweet potatoes are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals ... bake one for yourself too


----------



## Noey (Feb 26, 2009)

Mine loves sweet potatoe fries, so do I, they are good for us and for them.

I know one kind of potatoe is bad...I'll have to look it up and get back.


----------



## EvilNessCroft (Feb 17, 2009)

okay, thanks for all your replies everyone!  I'll cook one and put it in her Kong later today!


----------



## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

Noey said:


> Mine loves sweet potatoe fries, so do I, they are good for us and for them.
> 
> I know one kind of potatoe is bad...I'll have to look it up and get back.


White potatoes are of the nightshade family which arthritis prone people and pooches are advised to avoid as they are believed to worsen the condition. 

Beyond that, both white and sweet potatoes can be ripe for acrylamide (a carcinogen) if baked, fried or grilled (french fries being among the worst offenders). Acrylamide is a relatively new finding and studies are underway to determine "safe" amounts. Also, green spots and sprouts on potato skins contain solanine and should be avoided by both people and pets.


----------



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

"both white and sweet potatoes can be ripe for acrylamide"

What does this mean?


----------



## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

lgnutah said:


> "both white and sweet potatoes can be ripe for acrylamide"
> 
> What does this mean?


Acrylamide forms when starchy (and some other*) foods are cooked at high temps (250+F) or over long periods of time. Large doses have been found to cause cancer and nervous system damage in animal testing, though it is not yet known whether typical amounts consumed are harmful. For anyone who may concerned about frequently feeding these treats to their pets, boiling is a safe alternative prep.


----------

