Can Dogs Eat Tater Tots? All You Want To Know

To begin with, can dogs eat tater tots? No! Tater tots should never be eaten by dogs. Recipes will contain a lot of unhealthy fats, preservatives, and salt, and tater tots will be baked or fried in oils, which will increase their calorie content. Onion is a toxic food for dogs, and some of them are also cooked with it.

Keep reading.

Can Dogs Eat Tater Tots If they Are Homemade?

The only way to avoid the risks involved in serving your dog tater tots is to make them yourself using a simple recipe.

Peeled potatoes, a small amount of unflavored, unsweetened gelatin, a small amount of flour or corn starch, and some water make up a safe recipe. To keep the oils out of your dog’s system, you should bake them rather than fry them.

It takes a lot of effort, in my opinion, to give your dog a treat that is completely nutritionally worthless.

Additionally, you don’t want your dog to consume a lot of potatoes anyway. Visit our page on feeding your dog mashed potatoes for some convincing justification for that.

If you’re interested in spending that much time and effort making your dog some treats, a quick google search will turn up hundreds of dog-healthy treat recipes.

What Are Tater Tots?

Tater tots are potato snacks in the form of thinly sliced nuggets that are deep-fried. One of the most popular snacks in the USA is them.

Tater tots are a trademark of the American company Ore-Ida, which also claims credit for creating them. They are a common food in America and are eaten everywhere.

What Are Tater Tots Made Of?

The ingredients for tater tots are potato, oil, salt, seasoning, and flour.

In a bowl, finely shred potatoes that have been peeled and cooked with other ingredients like flour and seasonings. The mixture is then worked into cylindrical or oval-shaped “tots” and deep-fried in vegetable oil.

Do Tater Tots Harm Dogs?

Tater tots are a type of food that shouldn’t be given to dogs because it comes from people. Giving dogs Tater tots is bad for their health and could lead to them becoming very ill and obese. Even dogs can be poisoned by some of the seasoning ingredients used in Tater tots.

Let’s examine the effects of each Tater tots ingredient on dogs in the section below.

Potato

A potentially fatal heart condition in dogs has recently been linked to potatoes, according to the FDA. Dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM, is a condition that results in enlarged hearts and diminished cardiac function. The risk of heart failure in affected dogs is very high.

Avoid giving your dog potatoes if at all possible, even though this might not occur from just one potato.

Oil

Tater tots are deep-fried in a lot of oil, giving them a golden hue and a crunchy exterior. All that oil, however, is very dangerous for dogs.

In addition to causing pancreatic inflammation, eating greasy foods can make a dog’s intestines uncomfortable. Canine obesity and cardiac issues are potential long-term consequences.

Salt

Tater tots contain a lot of salt, which raises their sodium content like most snacks do.

For instance, a half-cup serving of Ore-Ida Tater tots has nearly 310 mg of sodium. This high salt content exceeds the amount of sodium that most dogs need daily. It might even be toxic for smaller dogs.

Seasoning

Herbs and flavors are added to Tater tots sold in stores to enhance flavor. Some of these spices, though, can be harmful to canines. Onion or garlic are frequently used in recipes as flavorings. These two ingredients are poisonous to dogs and can cause anemia.

Flour

Dogs can safely consume flour, which is actually used in many dog foods to increase consistency. However, the purpose of the flour in Tater tots recipes is to make them crispy. The crunch of the Tater tots is due to flour’s ability to absorb oil during frying. Therefore, even though flour is safe for dogs, its use in Tater tots makes it unhealthy.

High In Calories And Carbohydrates

Tater tots are high in calories and carbohydrates. Your dog’s total calorie requirements are influenced by his age and body weight. You could make him gain weight by giving him more food than he needs each day.

Tater tots may appear to be a quick way to fulfill the dog’s recommended daily intake. However, the majority of the calories they offer are trans and saturated fats, which are unhealthy fats for dogs. Consider the quality of the calories as well as the quantity when thinking about your dog’s health.

The energy they need to grow and develop requires a lot of carbohydrates for young dogs. But in the dogs’ bodies, extra carbohydrates are turned into fat. It may even result in diabetes and obesity.

Carbohydrates come in three main categories: sugar, starch, and fiber. Tater tots are low in fiber despite being high in sugar and starch. Sugar and starch can increase your dog’s weight and are harmful when consumed in large amounts.

Why The Cooking Method Is Bad?

The way tater tots are prepared is another consideration. In some cases, people prefer to fry them in vegetable oil, which is very bad for dogs. In fact, Banfield Vet Hospital have this to say:

“It is not advisable for your dog to consume fats like bacon fat, grease, butter, or vegetable oil. These inferior oils may worsen rather than improve your pet’s health, increasing the risk of diseases like pancreatitis and obesity.”

In the end, it turns out that the oil used to fry tater tots is completely bad for dogs. Saturated and trans fats, which are unhealthy, will make up a large portion of the oil.

This will be slightly healthier if the tater tots are baked in the oven.

Can Dogs Eat Frozen Tater Tots?

Frozen tater tots shouldn’t be consumed by dogs. They are infamous for having high levels of salt, fat, and preservatives, all of which are unhealthy for dogs.

• 100g Ore-Ida Mini Tater Tots (172 calories): 28% 10% Labrador is consumed daily per French Bulldog.
• 100g Walmart Own Brand Tater Tots (188 calories): 30% Daily intake of 11% Labrador and French Bulldog.

Can Dogs Eat Sweet Potato Tater Tots?

Dogs can enjoy a safe and nutritious treat made from sweet potatoes. When used to make a sweet potato tater tot, it is less healthy but still slightly better for you than regular frozen tater tots.

Sweet potato tater tots aren’t a snack I’d let my own dog eat because they still contain salt, sodium, and a variety of cooking oils.

When Should Your Dog Not Be Fed Tater Tots?

Tater tots shouldn’t be given to a dog who is overly old, overweight, diabetic, sodium sensitive, leads a sedentary lifestyle, or has a history of heart or kidney problems.

If your dog has already consumed their daily limit of salty foods, giving them Tater tots will increase their sodium intake and may cause dehydration or excessive urination.

Avoid giving your dog Tater tots unless you make them at home with ingredients you chose. Tater tots sold in markets or restaurants may contain ingredients that are harmful to canines.

Can Your Dog Benefit Nutritionally From Tater Tots?

B6, C, iron, magnesium, and carbohydrates can all be found in potatoes. The unhealthy amounts of fat and sodium they receive when they are included in tater tots, though. M

Further, dogs already suffer harm from potatoes. For your canine friends, there are many other, safer sources of vitamins, carbohydrates, and minerals.

What If My Dog Ate Tater Tots By Mistake?

Tater tots that aren’t seasoned with onion or garlic are not poisonous. So you shouldn’t be too alarmed if your dog eats a few.

However, your dog’s stomach may become upset if you give him Tater tots or other fried foods. Keep an eye out for symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea in your four-legged friends, and take them to the vet right away if anything seems out of the ordinary.

Tater tots eaten by accident are acceptable, but frequent consumption of this fried food will reduce your dog’s lifespan.

Symptoms To Watch For

Tater tots and other fried foods typically cause your pets no immediate symptoms. However, they do harm your dog’s body over time.

If your dog has eaten a lot of Tater tots, he will get an upset stomach and will probably throw up or poop them out. However, if he experiences any toxic effects following his consumption of Tater tots, the high salt content or the presence of onion or garlic may be to blame.

Symptoms for sodium poisoning include:

• Excessive urination.
• Fever.
• Muscle spasm.
• Runny or loose stool.
• Weakness.
• Convulsions.
• Dizziness.

Symptoms for onion or garlic toxicity include:

• Breathing problem.
• Vomiting.
• Weakness.
• Decreased appetite.
• Diarrhea.

How Do I Respond If My Dog Eats Tater Tots?

You shouldn’t be too concerned if your dog ate some tater tots unless they contained onions, which are toxic to dogs.

They’ll probably digest the tater tots with little discomfort if they’re healthy, so that’s a good sign. There is nothing in tater tots that would make your dog show toxicological symptoms, though they may experience some gas, bloating, or diarrhea.

Call your veterinarian right away if your dog has consumed tater tots and is exhibiting toxic symptoms. One of the ingredients in the tater tots may cause an allergy or intolerance in some dogs.

However, if your dog frequently consumes tater tots and other fried, processed foods, they could develop health issues in the future.

If your dog regularly consumes foods with little to no nutritional value, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and other illnesses may develop.

What Safe And Dog-friendly Alternatives Are There To Tater Tots?

Tater tots are high in fats and carbohydrates. Canines don’t require a lot of additional fats. Tater tots are not the healthiest and they are also a good source of carbohydrates. Your canine companions can get their daily carbohydrate quota from these healthy foods instead:

• Coconut. Carbs and healthy fats are abundant in coconut. It improves a dog’s immune system and reduces inflammation. Additionally, it makes their coat shiny and soft.
• Bananas. Bananas are a fantastic source of potassium and vitamins in addition to carbohydrates. Slices of banana can also be dried in the sun to make them crisp.
• Apple. Apples are a great source of fiber and natural sugars, two beneficial types of carbohydrates. Prior to giving them to your dog, cut them up and remove the seeds.
• Pumpkin. It is a great source of fiber-rich carbohydrates and supports a dog’s healthy immune system and digestive system.
• Carrots. Carrots are a crunchy, sweet, and rich source of carbohydrates and vitamins. To make them simpler to eat, chop them into bite-sized pieces, or give them baby carrots whole.
• Dog treats. The market offers a huge selection of different flavored dog treats. They can meet the daily nutritional requirements of the dog and are made with safe ingredients.

When To Call A Vet

Most dogs will consume a few tater tots without any negative effects. Please contact your veterinarian right away if your dog ate some Tater Tots and you notice a change in behavior.

Signs of sodium, onion, or food poisoning, include:

• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea
• Excessive thirst
• Increased urination
• Lethargy
• Seizures
• Vomiting

Final Words

I don’t think you should let your dog eat frozen tater tots. Even though a small treat here and there is acceptable, giving your dog a lot of them is probably going to have the opposite of the desired effect.

When you factor in the calories as well, just a few portions of tater tots can make up a significant portion of your dog’s daily recommended intake. Definitely more than the 90/10 rule I like to follow with my small to medium-sized dog.

Many thanks for reading.