Share all the love you have in your heart with your dog, but you need not share your sweet potato fries side meal with him every time. (And while we are on this topic, you might want to cut down on those fries for yourself).

Why you ask?

Sweet Potato Fries For Dogs

Here are a few pointers to get you on our side:

The Mandatory Disclaimer

We have nothing against sweet potato per se. In fact, we agree that it is a superfood: with its Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, and many other alphabet vitamins. It also has potassium, anti-oxidants, and good fiber content. Boil it up and mash it, and we will join you at the table as you serve it to your dog as well.

Things seemed to go the dietary downhill, only when you fry it and salt it to get to that crispy taste it is famous for.

Salt poisoning

Salt poisoning is a very real danger that your dog can face if it is served a meal of fried sweet potato in high quantities. A medium serve meal of fried sweet potato may contain as much as 390mg sodium. An average-sized dog should not have an intake of more than 200mg sodium daily.

A dog, on poisoning by salt, can display symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, in-coordination, and even suffer from tremors and seizures. It is best to contact your vet if your dog displays these symptoms and you suspect salt poisoning.

Fat content contention

The fat content in the fries is another loophole in your fried sweet potato meal fantasy. The fat content along with the added salt can also increase your dog’s blood pressure and mess up his body metabolism.

The calorie intake per nutritional value of a fried sweet potato is very high. You probably will be able to get much more nutrition in your dog’s digestive system with fewer calories, if you try other healthier food options.

Diabetes Dilemma

Sweet potato is a vegetable that is high in starch and sugar content. It is thus not the best idea to take this starch-loaded vegetable and make it more deadly by frying it in oil and loading it with salt.

Thus, sweet potatoes should not be fed to dogs who are prone to diabetes as it can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

Fungal Fiasco

If your dog is prone to fungal infections around the ears or other skin areas, you might want to consult your vet before including fried sweet potato in your dog’s diet. This is because sweet potato is high in carbohydrates and starch, and this might feed the fungal infection.

If your dog is frequently infected by yeast or Candida infections, you might want to cut down on other starch products as well.

Choosing the lesser evil

If your dog needs to have his occasional sweet potato fries to feel happy, we suggest that you at least choose the lesser evil. You should slice fresh sweet potatoes at home and then fry them rather than simply frying the frozen sweet potato packets available in the market.

This way you can control the salt and preservative content in the fries. It also ensures that there is no additional content in the fries like garlic, which may be an irritant to the dog’s digestive system.

Our Verdict

Letting your dog become too fond of fried sweet potatoes is a bad idea. It is better to boil sweet potato and add it as an extra ingredient with vegetables and other meals you prepare your dog. This way, you can unleash its optimum nutrition value. You can also try dehydrated sweet potato dog chews to satisfy your dog’s cravings with a healthier version of sweet potatoes.

However, if your dog needs its fries fix, give it only in very small quantities and by no means, as a daily treat.
And on the subject of frying and all things fried, read more on if avocado oil and sunflower oil are good for your dog.

The post Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato Fries: Is it ok to split those fries with your dog? appeared first on Purrfect Paws.