Nutrition Q & A: Are Tomatoes Safe?

Can I occasionally feed my dog tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, watermelon, honeydew and Crenshaw melons?
—Kathy

Although ingestion of ripe tomatoes may be harmless, Kathy, ingestion of the green parts of the plant or green tomatoes may result in clinical symptoms such as increased salivation, not wanting to eat, severe stomach upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, central nervous system depression, confusion, changes in behavior, weakness, dilated pupils and slow heart rate. We are not aware of reports indicating that eggplant, bell peppers, watermelon, honeydew, or Crenshaw melon are dangerous for dogs, but adding any new food to your dog's diet can cause adverse reactions.

If you notice any significant changes after giving your dog these foods, we would recommend removing them from his diet. However, if there are no adverse reactions and he enjoys the foods as a treat, they should be okay sometimes. Just keep in mind, treats should not constitute more than five to 10% of your dog’s daily caloric intake. The vast majority of his calories should come from a high-quality nutritionally complete pet food.

Please take a look at the information on our website about toxic and nontoxic plants, including potentially toxic garden plants.

We also provide information on a variety of people foods and products you may wonder about, and foods that must be avoided because they are harmful to pets.