National Pumpkin Day

When it comes to nutrition, there’s always a lot of talk about what’s good for our pets and what’s not. Can I feed them this? Can they eat that? There’s a lot of questions, but one thing is for sure, there are foods that have proven to be beneficial to our pets. For dog’s, one of these foods is canned pumpkin. No, we don’t mean pumpkin pie filling, but unsweetened canned pumpkin. It just so happens that National Pumpkin Day is November 26th. While we’re enjoying our tasty pumpkins treats, we can get our dogs in on the fun. 




Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a very fiber rich food that is full of essential vitamins that helps humans and dogs. For dogs, this can especially help with their digestive health. If your dog is experiencing constipation or diarrhoea, pumpkin can help get their digestive tract back on track. Another benefit from pumpkin is urinary health. The pumpkin flesh is high in essential fatty acids, which help’s urinary health. The oils also keep their skin and fur healthy. Also, some dogs have experienced weight loss by eating pumpkin. Always consult your vet before changing your dog’s diet.


How Dog’s Can Eat It

Just because your dog can eat pumpkin, doesn’t mean you should serve them a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Dogs can eat raw pumpkin flesh, cooked pumpkin, or canned pumpkin. If you’re buying canned, check the ingredients to make sure there is no added ingredients or sugar. When carving pumpkins this year, if you want to wash scraps off, those are great treats for the dogs. You can also roast the flesh of a pumpkin, just be sure not to add any extra oil or seasoning. 


Our Recommended Recipes

Pumpkin clearly makes a great treat for dogs, but you don’t have to stick to the basics. Have a little bit of fun with it and make your very own dog treats. These are some our favorite dog treats that you can make yourself. 



Pumpkin Dog Biscuits

Combining two things that dogs love, peanut butter and pumpkin, these dog biscuits are an instant hit! Make sure the peanut butter you’re using is free of xylitol. Xylitol is a sugar-alcohol used to sweeten food, and can be harmful to pets. Let the biscuits cool before giving to pets. You can find the recipe here




Pumpkin Popsicles

Here in Arizona, we know we’re not going to enter “fall” weather until November, so we’re still enjoying our cool treats. You can make pumpkin puppy popsicles for the dogs. We love this recipe because it is a great treat when the weather is still in the 90s. The dog bone popsicle sticks are perfect because there’s no mess to clean up. Find the recipe here


Whether your dog is eating pumpkin for health benefits, or a sweet treat, there’s no better way to celebrate the changing of seasons. If you have any questions about changing your pet’s diet, or health concerns, please call us 602-559-9600. Happy National Pumpkin Day.