During the Autumn months, Pumpkins take centre stage. It’s a delicious and more importantly, nutritious. So you may be wondering, can dogs eat pumpkin too? Is pumpkin suitable for dogs? What about the seeds?
Can I Feed My Dog Pumpkin?
Pumpkin is a doggy delight and canine superfood. It is a natural soother for your pups poorly tums and is often used to aid instances of diarrhoea in dogs. It’s packed with lots of important vitamins and minerals providing fibre and nutrients.
What’s The Health Benefits of Pumpkin?
Commercial dog foods are often low in vitamin B and fibre which are essential for maintaining good health. This is where pumpkin works a treat! Even baked pumpkin seeds can provide dogs with an excellent source of vitamin A, E and C with plenty of packed fibre to help maintain proper bowel elimination.
It also helps with skin irritations as well as allergies by offering extra protection against environmental factors such as dust mites and pollen.
This tasty winter squash is a great food to use as a safe and healthy treat. It also makes a great substitute for butter or oil in various recipes.
Are There Any Harmful Effects?
While pumpkin is an excellent choice to add to your dog’s diet, it’s important to not overfeed and to avoid feeding the stringy flesh/pulp from the centre. Dogs can safely eat pumpkin seeds as well as cooked or raw pumpkin.
Some people add pumpkins to their diet to boost their fiber intake. However, too much fiber can be dangerous and it can decrease how much protein and other nutrients they absorb. Therefore putting them at risk for other deficiencies.
It’s also starchy and high in calories so too much pumpkin in their diet can mean a higher calorie intake.
Are Pumpkin Seeds Good For Dogs?
Pumpkin seeds contain the amino acid cucurbitin, which works to paralyse and eliminate parasites from your dog’s digestive tract. You can feed the seeds whole as a snack. Pumpkin seeds are a safe dewormer and also provide quality protein, amino acids and many nutrients.
Pumpkin flesh and seeds also contain oils that are believed to support urinary health. Dogs with urinary incontinence may see improvement when pumpkin seeds and flesh are added to the diet.
What about Tinned Pumpkin?
Feeding plain tinned pumpkin gives a great boost to your dog’s nutrition, you can also feed pumpkin puree baby foods. Tinned pumpkin is high in fibre and low in fat, which helps your dog feel full and satisfied without adding too many calories.
Can You Bake With Pumpkin?
Yes you can! Baking the flesh of the pumpkin and blending is the best way to feed pumpkin to your dogs for maximum absorption of nutrients or used tinned pumpkin puree. So once you’re done carving out your doggy pumpkin, we have great biscuit recipe for you to try.
Peanut butter & Pumpkin biscuit recipe
- 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup canned pumpkin
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2:
Whisk together the flour, eggs, pumpkin, peanut butter, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add water as needed to help make the dough workable, but the dough should be dry and stiff. Roll the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick roll. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Step 3:
Bake in preheated oven until hard, about 40 minutes.
Does Your Pumpkin Love This Canine Superfood?
I think you’ll agree with me when i say…
Pumpkin is one of the most versatile foods on earth!
There are so many different ways to use this incredible vegetable, and it’s even safe for dogs! Let us know if your dog loves pumpkins in the comments below!
