Pumpkin is often thought of as a holiday decoration or a children’s carving project, but this humble gourd can offer many benefits for your beloved pet.
Pumpkins are not just for Halloween anymore! Many pet stores now sell pumpkins as a diet supplement for pets. From aiding in digestive health to providing essential vitamins and minerals, including pumpkin in your pet’s diet can be a simple and effective way to improve their overall health.
Here are some of the benefits of buying and feeding your pet with pumpkin after your next visit at your local pet store:
1. Pumpkin Is a Great Source of Fiber
Pumpkin is an excellent source of fiber for your pet. It’s a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber can help to regulate your pet's digestion, while insoluble fiber helps to keep your pet's digestive system clean and healthy.
2. Pumpkin Is Low in Calories
Pumpkin is not only a low-calorie food but is also packed with nutrients that can benefit your pet.
Pumpkin is a good food to give your pet if they need to lose weight because it’s low in calories. Most dogs like the taste of pumpkin, but cats may be pickier. You may need to mix the pumpkin into their food if they want to avoid eating it by itself.
3. Pumpkin Is a Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals
Pumpkin is a nutritious food high in vitamins A, C, and E, as well as the B-complex group of vitamins. Pumpkin is also a good source of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and copper.
4. Pumpkin Can Help Settle an Upset Stomach
If your pet is suffering from an upset stomach, pumpkin can help to settle their stomach and ease their discomfort. It’s full of fiber and can help with digestion, constipation, and diarrhea.
Making your own pumpkin puree and freezing it in individual portions is an easy way to add pumpkin to your pet's diet. A tablespoon or two of pumpkin puree (depending on your pet's size) is all you need to help maintain digestive health.
Pumpkin puree is naturally sweet, and most dogs like the taste. You don't need to add salt or flavorings, as these are unhealthy additives.
5. Pumpkin Can Help to Boost Your Pet’s Immune System
Pumpkin, for dogs, is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system. When combined with other antioxidants, such as vitamin A (beta-carotene) and vitamin E, pumpkin may help prevent the development of certain types of cancer.
Antioxidants are important for destroying free radicals, which are harmful molecules that can damage cells. Too many free radicals in the body can lead to serious health problems like cancer.
6. Pumpkin Can Help to Keep Your Pet’s Coat Healthy
Pumpkin is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for maintaining a healthy coat.
Pumpkin is good for your pet's skin and coat because it contains nutrients like vitamin A and zinc. Pumpkin also has a high water content, which helps keep your pet's skin and coat healthy.
When you use a pet conditioner on your animal companion, you help improve their coat and skin health while reducing the amount of hair shed around your home. Additionally, pumpkin can help heal skin allergies and boost the immune system in dogs.
7. Pumpkin Can Help Improve Your Pet’s Joint Health
Pumpkin is a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, which can help reduce joints' inflammation and improve joint health.
8. Pumpkin Can Help Prevent and Treat Diabetes in Pets
Pumpkin is a low glycemic index food, which does not cause a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. This is important for preventing and treating diabetes in pets.
9. Pumpkin Can Help Protect Your Pet’s Eyesight
Pumpkin is a good source of beta-carotene, converted into vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyesight.
Adding pumpkin puree to your dog's food is a great way to give them an extra boost of Vitamin A. The puree is full of nutrients, and adding a little healthy oil will help those nutrients pack more punch.
Furthermore, it’s an excellent topper for your pup's regular food, or you can mix in some flax oil for a healthy and satisfying treat.
10. Pumpkin Is a Healthy and Nutritious Treat for Your Pet
Pumpkin is not only a great source of fiber for dogs but it also contains essential vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin A, potassium, and iron. All of these work together to support a healthy immune system, good eyesight, and strong bones and muscles.
Pumpkin is a popular ingredient to add to dog food because most dogs enjoy the taste. Adding a pinch of cinnamon or honey to the pumpkin puree can make it even more delicious for your dog.
11. Pumpkin Seeds Can Prevent Urinary Incontinence
Pumpkin seeds contain fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation, making them useful in treating kidney stones. Additionally, pureed pumpkin seed powder can help to prevent urinary incontinence, a condition in which a person has difficulty controlling their urine flow.
12. Pumpkin Can Help Control Parasites Naturally
Parasites can live in your dog's digestive system and cause them to lose weight, have dry skin, and have a poor coat.
Pumpkins contain a high amount of cucurbitacin, an amino acid toxic to many common dog parasites. This amino acid has been used to expel worms in ruminating animals. Adding pumpkin seeds to your pet's food is a good way to help prevent them from getting worms, but it's important to remember their regular worming treatment.
13. Pumpkin Is Good for Hydration
Dogs fed a kibble-only diet often suffer from mild but chronic dehydration. This is because dry dog food has very low moisture content, and dogs don’t have a solid thirst drive, so pumpkin is a great way to add extra moisture to your dog's diet.
Conclusion
Pumpkin is an excellent diet supplement for pets. It’s rich in fiber and nutrients, and can help pets feel fuller and more satisfied. Pumpkin can also help regulate digestion and can be a healthy, low-calorie treat. So, if you're looking for a healthy, low-calorie treat for your pet, be sure to pick up some pumpkin the next time you're at the pet store. Your furry friend will thank you!
If you’re looking for a pet store selling healthy supplements for your furry friend, look no further than Wags to Wiskers. We are a community-based pet supplies store focusing on natural, and holistic pet foods in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Ludington, and Tecumseh. Order now!