Whether it’s a chilly winter day or a hot summer afternoon, nothing beats a bowl of tasty tomato soup. But when feeding tomato soup to pets, many owners make the mistake of not thinking about their pups’ dietary needs. Generally speaking, dogs should avoid eating human food that is high in sugar and salt content because these ingredients can lead to obesity and other health complications.

But is that all there is to it? Not quite. There are a few things all dog owners should keep in mind when feeding tomato soup to their canines. Here’s a closer look at 5 things to keep in mind before feeding tomato soup to dogs.

1. Check The Label For Any Harmful Ingredients

There are several commercial brands of tomato soup that contain added ingredients like salt, sugar, spices, and citric acid. While some of these ingredients may not cause any serious health issues with your dog, it is always better to know what you are feeding her. So, before you feed your dog soup containing tomatoes, check the label first!

Avoid any brands of tomato soup that might contain garlic and onion. These ingredients are toxic to dogs and when consumed in large amounts could lead to a myriad of health problems including anemia and reduced blood clotting ability. If the soup contains any of these ingredients, you should simply avoid feeding it to your dog.

2. Be Aware of Your Dog’s Health Condition

Dogs with a history of gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gastritis, and irritable bowel syndrome should not be fed tomato soup as it may lead to further stomach irritation. So before you consider feeding your dog tomato soup, make sure that she is in good health. For allergic dogs, dogs with serious health issues such as diabetes, obesity, and dogs that are on medication, it’s best not to give them any tomato soup at all. It’s a good idea to consult with your vet before feeding tomato soup to your dog so as to avoid any potential health complications.

3. Keep The Serving Size Small

Feeding some soup could be an excellent way to curb your dog’s hunger between meals, provided the soup doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients. But feeding your dog a whole bowl of tomato soup could prove disastrous as it may induce vomiting and diarrhea in some dogs. Dog’s with sensitive stomachs and dogs that aren’t used to eating tomato-based foods might also end up vomiting and develop diarrhea after consuming a bowl of tomato soup.

Therefore, if your dog is new to eating tomato soup or has a sensitive stomach, it’s better to start with a small portion and then gradually increase the amount. And since most commercial tomato soups are already high in salt and sugar, it’s even more important to keep the serving size small.

4. Feed Homemade Tomato Soup

The best and most natural way to feed your dog tomato soup is by making it at home. But before you do so, keep in mind that there are different kinds of tomatoes that dogs can eat. Tomatoes that are picked unripe or green contain tomatine which is a toxic alkaloid found in the unripe fruit. This compound can prove fatal to dogs and should therefore be avoided.

If you want to feed your dog homemade tomato soup, go for Roma tomatoes as they are the safest to feed your pup. Additionally, make sure not to use any ingredients such as onions and garlic that could upset your dog’s stomach. If you still think you want to give it a try, stick to a recipe that calls for just tomatoes and no other added ingredients. Also, start by feeding your dog small amounts and then gradually increase the serving size.

5. Avoid Feeding Any Canned Tomato Soup

Canned tomato soups sold in grocery stores and supermarkets contain high amounts of salt and sugar. Some of those contain even more than what is required to season your dog’s meal. These canned soups also have a bad reputation for using tons of preservatives, so it’s best not to feed canned tomato soups to dogs at all. When it comes to your dog’s health, you should always go for a low or reduced-sodium and sugar content food product. It is also best to check the label before buying canned tomato soups because some brands use onion and garlic in the soup that could prove toxic when consumed in high amounts.

Conclusion

It’s best to avoid feeding your dog any canned tomato soup as it may contain harmful ingredients such as onion and garlic. Homemade tomato soups are a much better way to go if you want to give your dog a treat between meals. However, there are certain precautions that must be taken when preparing a bowl of homemade tomato soup for your four-legged friend. If you want to give it a try, stick to a recipe that requires just tomatoes and no other added ingredients.

Always keep the serving size small and start with a single serving before increasing it. Feeding a single bowl of tomato soup a week should pose no problem to your dog provided that you stick to the above guidelines.

Thank you for reading the article.

To explore more, check out our other tomato-related dog articles.

Have you ever fed any tomato soup to your dog? If yes, then did it work out? How did your dog react to drinking the soup? We’d love to hear your story. Please leave a comment below to let us know!