This Halloween, instead of hollowing out your pumpkin and throwing the contents in the bin, why not make your pooch a healthy snack? Pumpkin is packed with nutrients and has many health benefits for dogs. You can feed cooked or raw pumpkin and seeds to your dog (as part of a balanced diet) but check with your vet for specific feeding amounts.
Health Benefits of Pumpkin for dogs
1. Packed with essential vitamins and minerals for dogs
Pumpkin is nutrient rich containing a high concentration of Vitamin A (beta-carotene) which plays an important role in eye health. It is also rich in Potassium which supports the metabolism, and helps to regulate blood pressure.
The orange colour of pumpkins comes from carotenoids which are powerful antioxidants that act as an anti-inflammatory and help to slow the ageing process, antioxidants are also found in pumpkin seeds.
2. Pumpkin as a natural de-wormer for your dog
Pumpkin seeds are a safe dewormer and contain the amino acid cucurbitin which helps to eliminate parasites from dog’s digestive tract. You can feed the seeds whole or crush into your dog’s food, check with your vet for effective dosage amounts based on breed and size. Ensure the seeds are natural, and don’t contain added salt or coatings.
