Incredible Health Benefits of Pumpkin For Dogs

It was an American friend who told me about the incredible health benefits of pumpkin for dogs. She said that she had a dog with Irritable Bowel Syndrome and she always had a little pureed pumpkin in the freezer in case she needed it. She also told me that the canned variety was just as good but not to mistake it with pumpkin pie filler which had lots of sugar added.

In the UK we only see fresh pumpkin in the shops during the lead up to Halloween. Everyone is busy carving their pumpkins and it occurred to me that the fresh pumpkin centres often end up in the bin. By freezing the pumpkin you can gain from the health benefits of pumpkin all year round.

It can be used raw, cooked or canned and has several incredible health benefits which are gained by just adding a few tablespoons to your dog’s food.

Warning Don’t let your dog eat a carved pumpkin, bacteria grows fast and the dog may become unwell.

 

 11 Health Benefits of Pumpkin For Dogs

Pumpkin is a fantastic source of fibre and is a natural way to help with constipation and diarrhea.

It contains Vitamin A, beta-carotene, iron and potassium.

It can help with weight loss for your dog

Pumpkin seeds contain antioxidants and fatty acids

Pumpkin flesh and seeds contain oils which help urinary tract infections.

There are so many ways that you can add pumpkin to your dog’s diet

Here’s an idea to use it as a Kong toy filler to give your dog a delicious and healthy Halloween treat.

Add some cooked pumpkin to a bowl and make a mash by adding a little ripe banana and plain yoghurt.

As an alternative, add small amounts of honey, cinnamon or peanut butter.

Freeze into ice cube trays and give on hot days or pop a little-frozen mixture into the toy to keep your dog occupied for hours.

Roll into balls and keep in an airtight container, they will keep in the fridge for up to three days and make lovely treats.

 

Don’t Forget the Seeds!

Pumpkin seeds are a natural wormer for dogs.

They contain an amino acid called cucurbitin, which paralyzes and eliminates the worms from the digestive tract. Pumpkin seeds also have anti-inflammatory properties and vitamins.

They are great eaten raw, roasted or ground into a powder and sprinkled over food.

Clean,  dry and roast the pumpkin seeds on a tray in the oven for fifteen minutes.

However, only give one or two pumpkin seeds at one time, (they are high in fat).

Pumpkin for Weight Loss

Substitute some of the dog’s regular food with a couple of teaspoons of pureed pumpkin. It is low in calories and in addition, the fibre and water will make the dog feel full, so he won’t even know he’s on a diet!

Here is an interesting post about Weight Loss For Dogs

Adding pumpkin is a great way to keep dogs hydrated.

Pumpkin is a great natural way to add water to a dog’s diet.

Hope you find this information helpful and Happy Halloween.