Yams have cylinder-shaped, starchy, and aesthetically unappealing skin. It’s a distinct kind of sweet potato if you see something that resembles one but is called a “yam.”
Despite knowing all the nutrients in yam, the main question for a dog owner is: Can dogs eat yam?
Can Dogs Eat Yams?
- YES, dogs can eat cooked yams in moderation. Yams are packed with healthy nutrients for dogs.
- NEVER give dogs raw yams. These can cause digestive issues or choking hazards.
Benefits of Yams for Dogs
- Heart Health: Vitamin A boosts cardiovascular health.
- Immune System Support: Vitamin C strengthens the immune system.
- Energy Levels: Potassium offers a natural energy boost.
- Bone Health: Calcium strengthens bones and muscles.
- Digestive Regulation: Fiber promotes a healthy digestive system.
Potential Risks
- Upset Stomach: Raw yams are hard to digest. Cooked is always best.
- Overconsumption: Too many carbs can lead to obesity and health concerns. Moderation is key!
How to Feed Yams to Dogs
- Cooked Only: Baking or boiling without seasonings is safest.
- Plain & Simple: No salt, butter, spices, or sugar.
- Portion Control: Small amounts based on your dog’s size.
Recipe Idea: Sweet Potato Chips
- Thinly slice a sweet potato (yam works too!)
- Lightly coat with coconut oil.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon (optional)
- Bake at a low temperature until crispy.
Important Considerations
- Diabetes: Consult your vet about yams if your dog has diabetes.
- Allergies: Watch for signs of allergy after a dog tries yam for the first time.
Key Takeaways
- Cooked yam is a healthy, occasional treat for dogs.
- Choose plain, cooked yams, and avoid added ingredients.
- Always prioritize a balanced diet for your dog.
- Consult your vet before introducing new foods or if you have concerns.
Can Dogs Eat Yam?
Yam and its sibling, sweet potato, are healthy and filled with varieties of vitamins such as vitamin A and B6. They also consist of a fair amount of fiber, which is very good for your dog’s tissue and muscle growth. It also prevents your dog from infections and diseases.
It comprises calcium, essential for your dog’s canine and bone growth. It also consists of iron, which gives your dog the energy needed to perform day-to-day physical activities. So overall, yam is a good and valuable snack for your dog.
Nutritional Value Of Yam For Dogs
Yam is filled with vitamins and minerals which are helpful for your dog’s health. Yam consists of beta carotene, which consists of vitamin A.
- Vitamin A
It helps prevent cancer or any blood-borne disease in your furry friend. It has other valuable and necessary nutrients like magnesium, which is the medium of energy production at the cellular level of your dog.
- Fiber
Yams are loaded with nutritional fiber, which can help your dog’s digestive tract function normally. However, only give yams to your pet in moderation. While a small bit can cure constipation, a large amount can result in diarrhea.
- Diosgenin
This yam and sweet potato ingredient may help dogs with their cognitive abilities. Yams may also aid in reducing the inflammation and suffering a dog experiences because diosgenin acts as an anti-inflammatory.
- Manganese
It helps strengthen and develop the joints, produce energy, and metabolize protein and carbohydrates.
Promoting collagen growth plays a significant part in maintaining your dog’s joint health. Manganese is necessary for various things, but your dog will gain the most from it regarding joint health.
- Potassium
It helps neutralize the functioning of electrical charges in the heart, muscles, and nerves. The electrical charges in the heart, neurons, and muscles are helped by potassium. If your dog lacks this important mineral, you may notice that they are constantly exhausted, which is abnormal, or they have no appetite.
- Calcium
It is essential for bone and canine development and formation and is also helpful in muscle building.
Calcium also strengthens your dog’s nervous system and heart, and Iron, which carries oxygen to the hemoglobin in the blood, can further produce energy.
- Zinc
It is very important for the proper functioning of your dog’s immune and thyroid systems. The canine body uses the mineral zinc in various processes, including producing enzymes, proteins, and hormones.
According to the USDA, one medium-baked sweet potato with skin contains:
- 2.29 g protein;
- 103 calories;
- 0.27 g fat;
- 23.6 g carbohydrates;
- 7.39 g sugar
- 3.8 g fiber.
Health Benefits Of Yam For Dogs
Dogs can benefit greatly from yams and sweet potatoes‘ high nutritional value. The following nutrients are good for your pet’s health:
- Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease
Yam or sweet potato has high levels of vitamin A, a substance that lowers your dog’s risk of developing heart disease. So, if your dogs eat sweet potatoes or yams, it will lessen the risk of them getting heart problems. However, could you not give them canned yams?
- Reduce The Chance Of Cancer
According to several research, beta-carotene may help prevent or at least delay the development of some cancers. Since yams contain high beta-carotene, it may help reduce the chances of cancer in your dogs.
- Boost Immune System
Yams include vitamin C, which strengthens your dog’s immune system and aids with illness prevention. Yams are not an antibacterial or a guaranteed way to keep your dog healthy, but a balanced diet can do a lot to keep your dog healthy! Vitamin C levels in sweet potatoes are somewhat higher than in genuine yams.
- Boost Dog’s Energy Level
Potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes and yams might increase your dog’s energy levels. Bananas are another excellent source of potassium that dogs can consume.
- Increases Bone Strength
Dogs get enough calcium when they eat sweet potatoes or yams. This vitamin strengthens bones and supports the function of the heart and muscles.
- Regulate Digestive System
Yam fiber can help your dog’s digestive tract function normally. When a dog has digestive issues like diarrhea or constipation, fiber-inclusive vegetables like yams are frequently given to them or added to their food.
Potential Hazards Associated With Yam For Dogs
Raw yam or sweet potato is problematic and hard to cook but equally hard to chew and digest. So cooking the vegetable before feeding it to your furry friend is better and most preferred.
Giving your raw dog yam can cause digestive problems like diarrhea and constipation and, in some cases, can lead to intestinal blockages. Boiling and baking are the best ways to make the yam perfect for your dog to eat and enjoy a yummy snack.
Chances are you’ve come across sweet potato in your pet food ingredient list, especially in grain-free dog foods, and wondered if it’s a safe ingredient.
Sweet potatoes or sweet potatoes are good for the health of dogs. However, according to recent research, sweet potatoes and legumes are not suitable for a dog’s normal diet, but we will return to this in a moment.
Possible Side Effects Of Yam For Dogs
Raw sweet potatoes or feeding them too much can cause health problems for your puppy. Too many carbs can cause
- obesity,
- chronic bowel disease,
- diabetes,
- organ failure,
- and even cancer.
Dogs with regular yeast infections should also avoid too many sweet potatoes, as the yeast feeds on glucose and is more likely to cause an infection.
There have been some studies linking grain-free dog food to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which causes an enlarged heart and can be fatal in some cases.
This worries some dog owners because many grain-free dog foods use peas or sweet potatoes instead of grains.
Since sweet potatoes or yams are rich in Vitamin A, they can cause muscle and joint weakness when consumed in excess.
Allergic Reaction To Yam In Dogs
Most yam varieties, including Chinese and Purple yams, can be poisonous when uncooked. They must be boiled before providing them to dogs since they contain chemicals that can make them sick.
Vomiting, an allergic reaction, seizures, and digestive issues are all signs of yam poisoning. So, if your dogs love to eat yams and sweet potatoes, provide them with only cooked yams. If that does not help, then consult your vet immediately for professional help.
Dog With Diabetes And Yam
Plain yams are okay, but yam syrup is not. Dogs should not consume syrup-covered yams. Their blood sugar would increase extremely if they consumed yam syrup. A food high in calories and sugar can make dogs gain weight or put them at risk for developing diabetes.
Diabetic dogs may benefit from a diet that includes sweet potatoes or yams. Even though there is not yet definitive evidence, a study presented that the tuber can help control blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity in dogs. However, to get the benefits, you must cook yams before serving them to your dog.
How To Feed Yam To Your Dog
Your dog will most likely eat cooked yams or sweet potatoes no matter how cooked they are, but you need to keep a few key things in mind. Yams and sweet potatoes should be baked or boiled without additional seasonings, including oil, butter, or salt, as these can cause dog health problems.
You can give your dog sweet potatoes as a treat or add a teaspoon or a tablespoon of sweet potato puree to your dog’s food, depending on the size of your dog.
However, if you add raw yams or sweet potatoes to your puppy’s diet, always start small. If you are changing pellets, you should also make changes gradually not to upset your dog’s digestive system.
How Many Yam Should A Dog Eat
Although yam is a tasty and healthy treat for your furry friend, the right amount of yam should be considered carefully. If you have a small dog, only a teaspoon of yam is enough for it; on the other hand, if you have a giant dog, a tablespoon of yam is considered all right.
Moderation is key. Too much of a good thing can become harmful. Too much fiber can cause soft stools and dehydration.
Sweet potatoes are full of carbohydrates and are not suitable as a staple for a dog, primarily a carnivore. You should give your dogs sweet potatoes no more than once or twice weekly.
Yam-Based Recipes For Dog Treats
You can puree the sweet potato or serve it baked. However, it would help if you never gave your dog raw yams, which can cause an intestinal blockage or pose a choking hazard.
SWEET POTATO CHIPS RECIPE FOR DOGS
You can make gummies in a dehydrator or bake sweet potato chips. Here is a simple three-ingredient dehydrated sweet potato chip recipe.
Ingredients:
- One sweet potato;
- 1⁄2 cup coconut oil ;
- 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Cooking method:
- Preheat oven to 120 degrees.
- Slice sweet potatoes thinly.
- Use coconut oil
- Lay out on a baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon powder.
- Bake until completely dry.
- Store in an airtight container.
FINAL WORDS
An occasional sweet potato treat is fine but should not be a regular part of your dog’s diet. Sweet potatoes for dogs should be specially prepared, not leftovers from your dinner plate, whether mashed potatoes or french fries.
Has your dog tried sweet potatoes? In the comments section below, let us know how your doggy reacts to this sweet treat!
FAQ’s
Can Dogs Eat Raw Yams?
Do not refrain from serving the dog yams and sweet potatoes in their raw form. The raw yams will upset your dog’s stomach and may lead to intestinal blockage.
You should also peel the yam skin before serving it to your canine. Your pet does not need that additional dietary fiber. Yams or firm sweet potatoes are only healthy for your canine if they are cooked.
Can Dogs Eat Baked Yams & Sweet Potatoes?
Yes, canines can eat baked or boiled yams if you do not add any harmful additional ingredients to them. Bake the sweet potatoes without the skin, and chop the yams into small pieces.
Do not sweeten the sweet potatoes, especially if your dog is diabetic. While cooked yams are completely safe, uncooked yams have some issues.
Can Dogs Eat Yam Skin?
Potato skin is not toxic for your dog, but if eaten in large amounts at once, it can cause choking.
Also, if your dog belongs to a small breed like a Pomeranian, pug, Chihuahua, etc., you, as a dog owner, should make sure that your dog does not consume sweet potato skin since it can cause indigestion and stomach problems for your dog.
Can Dogs Eat Yams Every Day?
Yam is a healthy and tasty treat for your furry friend. It contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals for your dog’s proper growth.
This is why yams are popular options for commercial dog foods. And it is beautiful to add sweet potatoes to your dog’s diet. Both true yams and sweet potato varieties are great for your pet’s diet in cooked, small, unseasoned servings.
Can Dogs Eat Yam Pie?
Although dogs can eat baked yam, yam pies, like any other fruit or vegetable pie, consist of sugar and spices, which is not very good for your dog’s health. If you want your furry friend not to get any health issues, you should ensure that the baked yam is topped less, without any seasonings like sugar, salt, or spices.
