October 4, 2021
Benefits of Pumpkin for Your Dog
What is pumpkin?
This Halloween staple is a nutritious and tasty ingredient for your dogs! Pumpkin is a fibre source that is rich in many essential vitamins and minerals. It is also considered to be a superfood, which is a nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.
Can dogs eat pumpkin?
Yes, absolutely! Pumpkin is a great ingredient to add into your dog’s complete and balanced food, as it is high in fiber and other nutrients such as Vitamin A and C. However, like with other new ingredients, it is important to introduce pumpkin slowly to your dog’s diet by adding a little at a time, to make sure your dog accepts it and it does not lead to upset stomach.
Benefits of pumpkin
As a superfood, pumpkin is rich in nutrients that can benefit the health of your dogs. Pumpkin, more specifically the flesh part, is a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber is an important nutrient to maintain and support the gastrointestinal health of your dogs as it also acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics support intestinal health by allowing the growth of beneficial bacteria while potentially suppressing harmful bacteria. The soluble fibre portion in pumpkin can help support pets suffering from diarrhea as it forms a gel when mixed with water in the digestive system, whereas the insoluble fibre content can help those suffering from constipation by supporting gut motility.
Pumpkin is rich in the pro-vitamin A carotenoid beta carotene, which is the precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is important for growth, healthy eyesight, skin and coat, and other cell functions. Meanwhile, carotenoids are known to have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants may have protective effects against free radical damage that can can help support immune system function and increase serum vitamin levels in your dogs. Additionally, beta carotene has anti-inflammatory properties, which is especially beneficial in maintaining health of aging dogs. Both the fruit and seed parts of pumpkin are also loaded with vitamin C, which helps support your dog’s immune function.
As a fiber-rich food, pumpkin can also support weight loss by means of slowing down food passage in the digestive tract. This will promote the feeling of fullness in your dogs and therefore, potentially preventing them from overeating.
Fiona TansilMSc Student – Animal NutritionHow to Serve Pumpkin to your dog?
Raw and cooked pumpkin are safe to be added as special addition to your dog’s complete and balanced diet. As a fruit, pumpkin contains seeds a which are also safe to be consumed by dogs. Pumpkin seeds are rich in beta carotene, some essential fatty acids, and minerals. Essential fatty acids are great for collagen formation and they support joint health to prevent arthritis, especially in older dogs. Magnesium and zinc are two notable minerals in the seeds that support strong bones and teeth.
Canned pumpkin is also another great alternative to incorporate pumpkin in your dog’s diet. However, it is important to ensure that it is not pumpkin pie filling and there are no added additives in the canned pumpkin, such as salt or sugar, which could counter the benefit of plain pumpkin. Pound for pound, canned pumpkin contains increased fibre because it is more highly concentrated than raw pumpkin.
You can also find pumpkin in our Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Turkey + Salmon Pâté With Grains wet food recipe. This diet is crafted carefully by our trained nutritionists to ensure that your dogs receive all the nutrients they need and at the same time supporting skin and coat health. The Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Turkey + Salmon Pâté is a great, nutritious recipe which contains pumpkin as one of the ingredients to support gut health, immune function, and source of high fiber and vitamins.
Recommended Solution
Go! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Turkey + Salmon Pâté with Grains
Prepared by our pet nutritionists using cage-free Turkey and premium-quality Salmon, this Go! Solutions recipe is rich in tasty protein and Omega oils to promote healthy skin and shiny coats
See product details
Fiona Tansil
MSc Student – Animal Nutrition
Fiona is currently an MSc student at the University of Guelph. Her study focuses on the protein quality of novel protein ingredient in animal feed. She has over 4 years of experience in the field of animal nutrition and feed formulation.
