10 Benefits of Pumpkin For Dogs

Pumpkin is a superfood for dogs. Incorporating pumpkin into your dog’s diet provides many health benefits. Do you give your dog pumpkin? Here are 10 benefits of pumpkin for dogs.

10 Benefits of Pumpkin For Dogs

1. It is high in fiber
Pumpkin is a starchy vegetable that is full of soluble fiber. This is a great way for dogs to improve their stool health, fight constipation, and help with any diarrhea issues your dog may be experiencing. Adding fiber into your dog’s diet can be very helpful in improving your dog’s overall digestive health and helping to promote healthy stools and intestinal health.

2. It contains Vitamin A
Pumpkin is high in vitamin A, which is an important vitamin in maintaining good vision and improving eye health in our dogs. An overabundance of Vitamin A could cause issues like dehydration and joint pain, so be sure to consult with your veterinarian to come up with a nutritional plan and portion out the pumpkin being added to your dog’s diet so that they are getting the appropriate amount for their needs.

3. It contains Vitamin C
Vitamin C is better known for coming from citrus fruits but pumpkin actually contains a good quantity of this vitamin as well. This vitamin is an antioxidant, and while dogs can synthesize their own it can also help reduce inflammation and fight some effects of aging. While dogs can synthesize their own vitamin C there is no need to worry about an overdose of this vitamin in their diet as it is water-soluble, and whatever is not needed is removed as waste from their bodies.

4. It can help curb appetite
Pumpkin is a vegetable that can be used to supplement some of the food your dog eats. This is because it is high in fiber and water, but low in calories, so this is an excellent way to keep your dog feeling full and curb its appetite over a longer period of time. This is helpful to dogs who may be overweight or tend to overeat.

5. It contains a lot of water
Due to the high moisture content in pumpkins, this is a great way to add some more water into your dog’s diet. Dry food lacks any moisture and our dogs don’t drink as much water as they usually should so they may suffer from dehydration. By adding small amounts of pumpkin into their food you can increase their water intake and tackle this issue.

6. It can improve urinary issues
Pumpkin seeds have been associated with the benefit of improving urinary issues within dogs. This is due to the properties of the pumpkin’s oils, and small amounts should show improvement in urinary incontinence.

7. It can naturally get rid of parasites
Pumpkin and ground-up pumpkin seeds contain high levels of cucurbitacin, an amino acid that is toxic to many parasites which can affect your dog. Due to this, the addition of ground pumpkin seed or pureed pumpkin into your dog’s diet may help prevent or purge their digestive tract of parasites.

8. It promotes healthy digestion
As mentioned previously, pumpkin has high water and high fiber content and perfect superfood to improve your dog’s digestion. The water and fiber work together to create healthy stools, if your dog has diarrhea, the fiber can help to harden stools, and if your dog has constipation, the fiber and water can help to soften stools. Pumpkin is also helpful to improve your dog’s gas and bloating due to intestinal issues, and it is a great source of prebiotics. Prebiotics help to improve digestive health by introducing good bacteria into the intestinal tracts to help in the breakdown of foods and the production of wastes.

9. It contains essential nutrients
We have already spoken about the main vitamins included in pumpkin, but there are much more nutrients present which can improve many different issues your dog may have, and maintain overall health. These nutrients include zinc, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Zinc can improve your dog’s overall coat and skin condition, while also strengthening the immune system, and improving cognitive function. Magnesium has very important roles in your dog’s body as well, such as maintaining and strengthening muscle functions, forming strong bones, and improving immune and heart health. Potassium helps aid in muscle and bone strength, as well as nerve impulses. Finally, iron helps to produce and maintain red blood cells and carry oxygen and energy throughout the body. These nutrients are all present in this one veggie and adding small amounts to
your dog’s food after consulting with your vet will help keep them in tip-top shape and improve their overall health and wellness.

10. It can help improve dry skin
Due to the high moisture content in pumpkins, along with the essential vitamins and nutrients, it can be a great addition to your dog’s meals. Normal dry dog food lacks the health benefits, ingredients, and moisture content of natural food and vegetable counterparts. The additional water and zinc from the pumpkin will surely help improve your dry skin, skin conditions such as eczema, and overall health.