Raw, green or sprouted potato
ToxicSolanine concentrates in green skin, eyes and sprouts, and in potato foliage, and ordinary cooking does not destroy it. Plain cooked white flesh with no green is safe in moderation.
This food guide has not been reviewed by a veterinarian. It summarises general information from sources and should not be used to decide whether a food is suitable for an individual dog or to assess an emergency.
Check before feeding
Do not offer as a treat
There is no recommended treat portion for this hazardous item. If swallowed, contact a vet with the amount, time and product details. Do not induce vomiting yourself.
Signs and health concerns
This list includes both observable signs and conditions identified through examination or testing. It cannot establish the cause or whether an exposure is safe.
- Excessive salivation
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
- Weakness
- Poor coordination or balance
- Tremors
- Seizures
More about this food
Potato is safe or unsafe depending entirely on its condition. The problem compounds are the glycoalkaloids solanine and chaconine, concentrated in green-tinged skin, in the eyes and sprouts, and in the foliage of the potato plant. They inhibit cholinesterase and disrupt cell membranes. The critical practical fact is that they are heat-stable: boiling, baking and frying at ordinary temperatures do not destroy solanine, so "I cooked it" is not a defense for a green potato.
No dog-specific dose threshold has been published. What is established is where the risk lives: green skin, sprouts and eyes, and the leaves and stems. Signs usually start 2 to 12 hours after ingestion — heavy drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, lethargy and weakness, ataxia, dilated pupils, arrhythmia, tremors and seizures.
Two American scenarios account for most cases: a bag of potatoes stored too long in a warm pantry that starts sprouting and gets raided, and a dog digging in a vegetable garden where potato vines are growing. Raw potato peelings from meal prep are a third. Call your veterinarian right away if your dog ate green or sprouted potato, raw peelings, or potato foliage, and treat tremors, ataxia or seizures as an emergency-hospital trip. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center answers 24/7 at (888) 426-4435. Do not induce vomiting at home. If you share potato at all, peel it, cut away every green patch and eye, cook it plain, and serve a small amount with no butter, salt, oil or seasoning.
Frequently asked questions
- My dog got into raw potato peelings from the trash.
- Peelings are the wrong part of the potato: skin, eyes and any green tinge are where solanine concentrates. Call your vet or (888) 426-4435 now, and watch for drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, wobbliness and tremors across the next 2 to 12 hours.
- Does cooking a green potato make it safe?
- No. Solanine is heat-stable and survives normal boiling, baking and frying. The safe version is a potato that was never green or sprouted: peeled, cooked plain, no green patches, no seasoning, served in small amounts.
- Can dogs have mashed potatoes or fries from dinner?
- The potato itself may be fine, but restaurant and holiday preparations rarely are. Butter, salt, oil and especially onion or garlic powder are their own hazards. Plain cooked potato flesh with nothing added is the only version worth sharing.