Zoe & Gracie (our dogs) Like Pumpkin, Too!

img_0896After last weeks article, “Remember National Pumpkin Day,” one of our readers sent an email with some very interesting information.

She informed us that pumpkin is good for dogs for both weight control and improved digestion.

This information really peeked our interest.  We have several pumpkins (the combined weight of which exceeds 100 pounds) which we will be processing very soon.  That is quite a bit of pumpkin, but our residents will enjoy it.

Given that bit of information, we did a little experiment.  Sr. Christina cooked the pieces that had been cut out to make jack-o-lanterns and mashed them up.  We found that both Zoe (our Havanese Bichon) and Gracie (our yellow lab) really enjoyed it.

In recent weeks, Sr. Rebecca has discovered that Zoe also enjoys other cooked vegetables, such as carrots and beans.

Now, when we freeze the processed pumpkin, we can add a little extra to each bag.  Once we’ve measured what is needed for cookies or muffins, any extra can be used as a healthy treat for our four-legged friends.

In doing a little more research on feeding pumpkin to dogs, we found that it is good for digestive health, urinary health and weight loss (throughadogsear.com).  According to the Morris Animal Inn Blog, it is also good for adding bulk to a dog’s food and making them feel full. This probably ties in with its usefulness in weight control.  This same article shares its value as a source of important vitamins.

According to Pet360, pumpkin is also good for a dog’s skin and coat:  as well as fighting fur balls and parasites.  Even the pumpkin seeds are claimed to have benefits.

So, all the work of cleaning, cutting , baking and peeling our pumpkins is worthwhile, not only for humans but for our pets as well.