Pumpkin for Dogs

It’s no surprise that your dog is sitting beside you at the kitchen table every time you’re eating a meal; they obviously want what’s on your plate. And, it doesn’t matter what’s on that plate, their curiosity gets the best of them, and they want a bite of whatever it is they smell.

However, before giving your dog food that you usually eat, you should be mindful of what’s good for, and what’s not good for, your dog.
This articles topic: Pumpkin.
Is pumpkin good for your dog? What about pumpkin seeds? How about pumpkin pie filling?
Let’s get started on answering some of these questions.
Is pumpkin good raw, cooked, or canned, for my dog?

Raw and cooked pumpkins are both good for your dog but stay away from the canned pumpkin. In fact, raw and cooked pumpkins have several benefits to your dog’s health, but we’ll talk about that a little later.

Cooked pumpkin seeds are tasty and crunchy, and perfectly healthy for your dog to eat. The same goes for fresh, raw pumpkins. Please keep in mind that you should never be feeding your dog pumpkin that’s been sitting outside on the porch for weeks on end around the Halloween season. Bugs could have gotten through the core, the temperatures could have affected the vegetables ripening process, and the pumpkin inside could be rotting. If you’re thinking of feeding your dog canned pumpkin, make 100% sure that there is absolutely no sugar added to it.

Hint: The best way to give pumpkin to your dogs is to look up and cook up a homemade recipe with pumpkin as one of the main ingredients. The treat will be familiar and delicious to your dog.

What are some of the benefits that pumpkin can have on your dog’s health?

There are three main categories of health benefits related to your dog and pumpkins. Each will be identified briefly below.

Digestive Health:

Pumpkin is loaded with fiber, leading veterinary health experts to conclude that the vegetable is perfect for digestive health. It’s true, that pumpkin indeed can help with constipation and diarrhea in dogs.

All you have to do is add a teaspoon or two of pureed pumpkin (with no added sugar) to their meals. Symptoms of indigestion and upset stomach can be cured using this method, too.

Urinary Health:

Pumpkin contains many fatty essential acids. The vegetable also contains important antioxidants to maintain proper urinary health. The oils present in the walls of the pumpkin are primarily responsible for maintaining a healthy urinary tract along with promoting healthy skin and fur.

What’s more is that pumpkin flesh and seeds are great sources of vitamin A, potassium, iron, and beta-carotene.

Weight Loss:

Dogs generally love pumpkin, making it easy for dog parents to supplement the pumpkin in place of your dog’s regular food. If you’re trying to get your furry friend to lose a few extra pounds, just substitute the daily dog food for some canned pumpkin (once again, make sure there’s no sugar added). Believe us, their stomach will be just as full.

If you haven’t already, head on over to your local supermarket and pick some pumpkin up; your dog will be thanking you in no time!

More Articles