# Be careful with tomatoes!



## LaDogLover (Aug 10, 2008)

Everyone knows that chocolate is bad for dogs, but did you know that tomatoes are also?? Recently the Dog Page-A-Day Calendar (published by Workman Publishing Co.) shared this info:

"Tomatoes and tomato plants contain substances toxic to dogs that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, tremors, and even heart arrhythmias. Leaves, stems, and unripe (green) tomatoes have a higher concentration of the toxins than ripe red tomatoes do. But to be safe, keep your pooch away from tomatoes altogether."

I never knew this! So, no maters for you, Fido!!!


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

Ripe tomatos are fine.


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## CinnamintStick (Jul 25, 2008)

My dog food has tomatoes in it. I not had any problem.


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## dusty&lulusmom (Jul 30, 2007)

I have added ripe tomatoes to their food. I have not had any problem but now I am having second thoughts about doing this.


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## CinnamintStick (Jul 25, 2008)

when I google tomatoes and dog food nothing but good things come up about tomatoes. The ASPCA site said....

I give my cats dry cat food, and was surprised to learn that the brand I feed contains tomatoes. Aren’t tomatoes poisonous to pets?
—Tricia K. 

In this case the answer is no, Tricia. The green parts of the tomato plant are considered toxic because they contain solanine, which has the potential to produce significant gastrointestinal and central nervous system effects. However ripe tomatoes, the part of the plant typically used in food products, are not toxic. Therefore, we would not expect any poisoning-related issues with the tomato content of your cat food.

From http://www.aspca.org/aspcablog/2006/08/ask-apcc-tomatoes-in-your-pets-dry.html


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## BoxMeIn21 (Apr 10, 2007)

Thank you!


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 22, 2008)

CinnamintStick said:


> However ripe tomatoes, the part of the plant typically used in food products, are not toxic.


The "toxic" part of that sentence is correct. However it's a little misleading as there are no dog foods with whole tomatoes. They use tomato pumace which is the part left over after the tomato has been smushed to make tomato juice, ketchup, or tomato paste. Tomato pumace is throw away refuse and is cheap. Whole tomatoes are relatively expensive.


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## CinnamintStick (Jul 25, 2008)

Tomato Pomace
Tomato Pomace is a mixture of tomato skins, pulp and crushed seeds. It is an excellent source of soluble fiber and rich in the antioxidant lycopene.

This is about cats but the same applies.

Dried tomato pomace is the dried mixture of tomato skins, pulp and crushed seeds that remain after the processing of tomatoes for juice, soup, or ketchup. It is a middle protein, a good source of B Vitamins and a fair source of Vitamin A. It is commonly used in pet foods as a source of dietary fiber, to produce firm stools. Tomato pomace also increases the palatability of cat diets.

Typical Analysis

Crude Protein 20.0 - 24.0 % 
Crude Fat 15.0 - 18.0 % 
Crude Fiber 26.0 - 35.0 % 
Ash 3.0 - 5.0 % 
Moisture 6.0 - 10.0 %


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 22, 2008)

CinnamintStick said:


> Tomato Pomace
> Tomato Pomace is a mixture of tomato skins, pulp and crushed seeds. It is an excellent source of soluble fiber and rich in the antioxidant lycopene.


Hehe ... you must have gotten that off one of the kibble companies web pages. They always make all the ingredients LOOK real good. Like I said before pumace is the leftover garbage from the tomato processing plants after squeezing out the good stuff for tomato juice, ketchup, and tomato paste. What they didn't sell to the dog food companies, goes to the garbage dump.

"Soluble fiber" is kibble company speak for "nutritionless undigestable stuff".

Lycopene is found in liver and most meats. The lycopene in tomatoes is mostly used in food coloring and is not an essential nutrient.


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## CinnamintStick (Jul 25, 2008)

RawFedDogs said:


> "Soluble fiber" is kibble company speak for "nutritionless undigestable stuff".
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> ...


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 22, 2008)

CinnamintStick said:


> > Fiber is never digestible thats why it is fiber.
> 
> 
> Yes, what you say is partially true. Sometimes I forget that everyone doesn't feed the way I do. In nature, dogs have no digestive or nutritional need for plant fiber. Dogs utilize bone for fiber. I haven't given my dogs any plant material in 6 years but they eat bone every day. Notice I didn't say they chew on bones, they actually eat them. their stools are always firm little nuggets. They haven't had a soft stool in so long I wouldn't recognize it.
> ...


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## eelhouse (Jan 21, 2010)

Hi, I am new to this group but would like to post the following from Wikipedia re. Tomato Pomace:


"Tomato pomace is an inexpensive by-product of tomato manufacturing. Effectively, it is what is left-over after processing tomatoes for juice, ketchup, soup, etc. It is sometimes used in pet and livestock food manufacturing as a source of dietary fiber, as well as B vitamins, Lycopene[1] and (to a lesser extent) vitamin A. As the primary component of tomato pomace is the tomato skin, *it has the potential for higher amounts of pesticide residues than tomatoes themselves*. As tomato pomace tends to be about 75% water, the cost of shipping tends to be very high (due to weight), and the majority ends up in landfills".

Having noted the pesticide residue issue I now steer clear of anything with this stuff in it. They sell it on the basis of antioxidant content (Lycopene), which is good, but what a con, dog food companies are probably paid to take it off the producers hands!!!

Anyway, just my 2 penneth. I make all my own food for my dog having tried all the brands under the sun. Guess what, no more Colitis / digestive problems / Anal gland problems - 1 year has passed since changing to my own formulation.

Clive


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## michelleboston (Feb 25, 2009)

Bailey LOVES tomatoes...they're by far his favorite veggie. I don't give him many though, I worry that the high water content and acidity might cause loose stools.


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## eelhouse (Jan 21, 2010)

I wasnt meaning tomatoes are bad for dogs, quite the contrary. Tomato paste forms part of my recipes for the antioxidant properties. My dogs also love tomato.

I use 1.5mls paste / dog / day

Clive


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## Labsnothers (Oct 10, 2009)

I have reorganized my garden is such a way that the tomatoes left at the end get buried in leaves to make them less assessable to the puppy.


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