Pumpkin: Dogs’ food & Flavored Dog Treats-Erakina

There is an ample amount of dog food available in the market. Apart from dog food, there are treats, biscuits, snack items, and more. However, homemade food is always a better option with healthy vegetables, meats, or grains. Whether it is about humans or animals, food plays a vital role in better health. Pumpkin is one of the vegetables widely used in packaged dog food and can also be cooked and added to the diet of pet dogs at home. This vegetable is flavorful and easy to cook with valuable nutrients.

Benefits & facts about Pumpkin as dog food

Pumpkin is good for dogs when consumed in moderate amounts as per the weight of the dogs. Whether it is homemade or packaged treats from the market, they should be tested first in small amounts if your dog is consuming them for the first time. Pumpkin is a good source of vitamins A, E, B12, and C, with potassium and iron. It is high in soluble fiber and suitable for dogs’ digestion. Pumpkin is also termed a ‘superfood’ for its high nutritious value.

Some of the benefits of pumpkin when feeding your pet dog are as follows:

1.     Strong Immunity 

Stronger immunity is one of the important factors which helps maintain better health and fight against diseases. Vitamin C in pumpkin improves immunity by fighting against harmful free radicals, infections, or diseases and builds strong immunity in dogs. However, a dog’s liver can create some amount of vitamin C, but still, an additional amount from external sources like pumpkin helps with stronger immunity. 

2.     Good for digestion

Vets recommend pumpkin for dogs as it is highly beneficial for their digestive system. The high fiber and water content help maintain gut health. However, excessive consumption should be avoided.

3.   Hydration

Pumpkin is a soft vegetable with high water content and a handful can keep it hydrated for a long time. 

4.     Better skin or coat

The vitamins A and E with niacin, omega fatty acids, and zinc are good for dogs’ healthy skin and coat. It also prevents dandruff and controls shedding. 

5.     Weight management

Pumpkin is a healthy snack for its high fiber content and low-calorie levels. The calorie content per cup of pumpkin is 50 calories which are also lower than commercial treats available on the market. This snack keeps dogs full for longer and helps in weight management.

6.     Eye Health

Beta-carotene and vitamin A have multiple benefits and help improve eye vision and prevent dry eyes and ulcers in dogs.

7.     Deworming

Cucurbitacin is an amino acid toxic to many pests or parasites in a dog’s body. This amino acid is present in pumpkin seeds which can help in deworming of pet dogs. However, it is good to grind them and add their food in small amounts. Whole pumpkin seeds are not recommended, and these seeds should not be taken as a parasitic treatment. Any kind of parasitic issue in dogs needs medical attention.

Pumpkin Dog treats

While there are many types of dog treats, some of the homemade pumpkin treats are as below:

1.     Pumpkin Ice-cream

Boiled pumpkin mixed with yogurt or any other plain ice cream is a delicious snack that can be given to dogs. 

2.     Pumpkin cookies

Soft-baked sugar-free pumpkin cookies can be easily baked at home instead of biscuits available in the market. These are easy to carry as well if you are traveling.

3.     Pumpkin cupcakes

Pumpkin cupcakes are a dog favorite with peanut butter or cream topping.

4.     Frozen pumpkin

Pumpkin puree can be frozen in different molds in the refrigerator and given to dogs. This is a good snack to relish during summer. Apart from all snacks mentioned above, many others can be made for dogs at home. The ingredients used must be dog friendly. Some of the baked or dry treats, like cookies, are easy to store and can be used occasionally as per requirement. Boiled or mashed pumpkin can also be mixed with meat or vegetables and given to dogs as a small snack.

Conclusion

Pumpkin is a fantastic and versatile vegetable in terms of how it can be used and its nutritional value. With the right combination of other ingredients, many other simple and healthy treats can be created for dogs. The fleshy and fibrous pumpkin is good to blend with almost all kinds of food products edible for dogs. Adjusting the right amount and avoiding allergic products is necessary.