Mary Allen
Fall is pumpkin season. Thanks to its many uses, pumpkin is a very popular vegetable.
Hardly any dog will say “no” to a portion of the yellow-orange vegetable variety.
But what about tolerance and can dogs eat pumpkin?
Shred Pumpkin for Dogs
Pumpkin is one of the particularly healthy vegetables. It is rich in nutrients and fiber. It contains large amounts of vitamins A, C, and E, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and important fiber.
And here’s the good news: Dogs can eat pumpkins.
Pumpkins can be fed raw or cooked. Since the vegetables are very easy to store, pumpkins are available almost all year round.
If it is given to the dog raw, it should be chopped up or even pureed. In this way, it is easier for the four-legged friend to digest.
Pumpkin is an ideal ingredient for dog biscuits. Small pumpkin cubes that have been lightly steamed are suitable as a healthy snack in between.
Pumpkin seeds and oil can also be fed
The pumpkin seeds are a little insider tip against parasites. They can expel worms and are therefore considered a natural anthelmintic.
If you want to deworm your dog naturally, you should have a stool sample checked regularly by the vet for parasites.
Chop the pumpkin seeds very small or grind them in the food processor. Then mix them with a little buttermilk.
Feed them twice a day for a week. You need one tablespoon of grated kernels for one serving for every 10 kilograms of body weight of the dog.
Pumpkin seed oil is also a good and healthy addition to dog food. It contains valuable essential fatty acids that are very beneficial to the dog’s hand health.
Pumpkin as a tasty vegetable
Pumpkins are annual plants. Some species grow along the ground and some climb. The first pumpkins are said to have been cultivated as early as around 5000 BC.
The pumpkin that ends up in our kitchens, today originally comes from Mexico and South America. Depending on the variety, the pulp, the seeds, and, in some cases, even the peel is used.
The delicious, fruity-sweet pulp is ideal for sweet and savory dishes. Most dogs also love this taste.
Bitter substances could be dangerous
However, despite all the benefits that the pumpkin offers, a little caution is required. Pumpkins may contain cucurbitacins. Cucurbitacins are bitter substances that can also be found in other pumpkin plants such as zucchini or cucumber.
As a rule, these substances are not contained in those types of vegetables that are commonly available. Care is taken to avoid these during breeding.
However, if you like to grow your vegetables in a new garden, you run the risk of growing pumpkins with cucurbitacins. Therefore, make sure to sow newly purchased seeds for your home-grown pumpkin every year.
If you’re using seeds from plants you’ve grown yourself, those original traits can eventually come through again. The vegetables are then bitter and therefore dangerous.
Cucurbitacins are rare toxins found in pumpkins
All occurring cucurbitacins are poisonous. This also applies to humans.
You should therefore immediately dispose of every pumpkin in the organic waste if a pumpkin tastes even slightly bitter. Neither you nor your dog should eat from it.
Cucurbitacinscucurbitacinr soluble and are not destroyed by heat. The poison remains after cooking.
Symptoms of cucurbitacin poisoning in dogs include diarrhea, vomiting, excessive salivation, and apathy. If the dog ingests large amounts of the poison, this can lead to shock and ultimately even death.
So be sure not to feed pumpkin if it doesn’t taste perfect.
Dogs are not allowed to eat decorative pumpkins for Halloween
In this context, special caution is also required in autumn. Especially around Halloween, ornamental and wild pumpkins can be found in many households for decorative purposes.
The round shape of this vegetable decoration tempts playful dogs to bite into it again and again. But even that can lead to nasty symptoms of poisoning.
So when decorating your home next fall, be sure to place all pumpkins out of your four-legged friend’s reach. If he still eats a pumpkin, please do not hesitate to consult the veterinarian.
