I wouldn't use them as food. Instead, I'd plant them to create more plants and tubors which would be safe. The eyes and sprouts are the most poisonous parts, but the toxins they produce DO infiltrate the rest of the tubour. Removing them will make little or no difference (as with ordinary potatoes). Cooking will only destroy about 40% of the toxins.

Did you know that you shouldn't ever give potato to dogs? Even potatoes of good quality can be toxic to dogs. I think the same also applies to sweet potato, but I don't know for sure. Best to check it out, don't you think? We should never assume that what is safe for humans is always safe for other species (or vice versa).

I believe that the sweet potato and its greens are totally different family compared to a regular potato. Regular potatoes are still in the nightshade family (related to tomatoes) and the leaves and stubs, and even green (exposed to light) potatoes can make you sick, as well as harm pets. The regular white flesh and the flesh of sweet potatoes are OK to feed to pets, but because they are also high in potassium, you may not want to give them too much, too often.

Ken, yes, white potatoes are a nightshade and sweet potatoes are a morning glory (or whatever that family is called). Sweet potatoes are recommended by my vet. After much more searching I found information that sweet potato shoots can be stir-fried, so I think I will cut them off & feed the cooked sweet potatoes to my dog, starting with a small serving just in case.

My dog trainer suggested adding more nutrition to chew toy fillings by mixing the usual peanut butter with canned pumpkin--commercially canned of course. I figure I will use sweet potatoes because he loves them & they're cheaper, plus I can make a meal for myself in the process.

Daisy, thanks for the advice, and Teresa, thanks for your experience. I'm hungry to cook them right now, and my portion will be full of butter & salt & pepper. I'm not much for adding sugar to sweet potatoes. Thanks all.

Melissa

I always told my parents they shouldn't make me eat green potatoes! I can't believe they didn't believe me.

Sweet potatoes are actually used the fancy prescription dog foods given to dogs with severe food allergies. Dogs rarely have any bad reaction to them, so if they get sick from regular food they're like to be given duck & sweet potato food or something weird like that.

Julie

Lactose, and soy are things that can give dogs bad reactions., not to mention chocolate. On the other hand a raw egg or two for a dog is good food and helps their coat.

Aren't onions bad for dogs also?

Onions might be, but I think its the next day when you notice that in the surrounding air.. need I go into details?

Melly, you're right, onions are hard on dogs' kidneys. I've heard similar about garlic, but I also have a dog cookbook [positive commentary only please! ;-) ] that says most dogs can handle garlic, and they love it. My dog had no problem with the small amount of garlic powder in his birthday party biscuits. (Yeah yeah, he's a rescue dog, ok, so I assigned him the same birthday as me & we had our dog & people friends over for a small afternoon party, I am not crazy, just crazy about him.)

Anyway, here's my personal list of what dogs can't eat:
onions & other alliums, except garlic powder
chocolate
coffee/tea/caffeine
grapes/raisins
green potatoes (thanks Daisy, I don't eat them either)
soy (estrogenic, should be eaten carefully by males anyway)
large amounts of lactose

I do let Bear taste my ice cream and drink leftover milk from cereal. Lactose is mostly a digestive upset, no permanent damage, and he seems to handle it well.

Melissa

My brothers dogs used to love tomatoes. They were german shepards