Yes, your furry companion can consume pumpkins too. In addition to its high amounts of fiber, it is also high in calcium, water, iron, and antioxidants that are safe and good for your pets to consume. If you still have not tried feeding a pumpkin to your pet, reading this post will get your interest. So let’s talk about the benefits pumpkin has to offer for pets.
Why You Must Feed Pumpkin to Your Pet
Pumpkin may be a superfood for dogs, and regularly including it in their diet has several good health benefits. Below are five reasons to feed pumpkins to your canine.
1. Packs great nutrition
While the nutritional information of one cup of cooked pumpkin is low in calories, it is rich in important minerals and vitamins. It is rich in vitamin A (beta-carotene), which is effective for maintaining eyesight and protecting against infections and diseases. In addition, it has a lot of potassium to help regulate blood pressure and enhance metabolic rate and muscle health. It also contains small amounts of healthy nutrients like Phosphorus, Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium, and Folate.
2. Helps control and repel parasites
While most of this proof is anecdotal, routinely including pumpkin in your canine’s diet can help eliminate parasites inhabiting and interrupting your poor pup’s gut. Parasites like hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms can significantly impact your pet’s digestive system and trigger distressing symptoms like a shabby coat, weight loss, dry skin, and nutrient deficiency.
Pumpkin contains a high amount of amino acid cucurbitacin, which is toxic for dog intestinal parasites and has been effectively used to expel worms living in animals. However, adding pumpkin to your pet’s diet does not necessarily mean you’ll stop their parasite preventive medications. Therefore, it is still advised to maintain whipworm treatment and preventatives even when you include pumpkins in your pet’s diet.
Also, ensure that your pet’s vaccinations and medications for preventing heartworm disease are up-to-date to strengthen their protection against diseases and harmful parasites.
3. Good for the eyes
Vitamin A is essential for our eye health and is also the same for canines. Vitamin A can help keep your eyes healthy and slow the development of eye degeneration and blindness. Furthermore, the said nutrient is also fat-soluble, so making a pumpkin puree for your furry buddy and incorporating a little healthy oil will make it more nutritious.
Pumpkin is an excellent way to maintain your ‘s eye health. Additionally, this will help you in the long term and save you the hassle of taking your pet to animal surgeons for ocular surgery should your furry buddy develop eye conditions.
4. Tastes delicious
Like how many individuals savor pumpkin’s creamy and natural taste, dogs do too. Anyone who has tried feeding their dog with healthy yet still delicious foods can greatly appreciate and take advantage of this. While most canines would munch on a plain cooked pumpkin, it will become a much better and yummy treat when added with a pinch of honey or cinnamon.
Apart from pumpkin, you can still look up for healthy and pet-friendly veggies to feed your furry friend. However, never forget to maintain their dental health. Be proactive in taking them to pet dentists for dental care and teeth cleaning, and know if your pooch needs dental surgery for their aching teeth to alleviate their pain.
5. Supports urinary health
Pumpkin seeds and flesh have vital oils that promote urinary health. Canines with issues in their urinary health can see immediate improvements after the pumpkin is included in their diet.
