Rich in fiber and beta-carotene, pumpkins are an excellent people food for pets. These gourds are simply bursting with vital nutrients like potassium and iron, which give your pet’s diet a healthy boost. They’re also low fat, so pumpkins are filling while keeping your pet’s waistline trim.
A good source of fiber
The fiber in pumpkins makes them good for your pet’s digestion, aiding with unpleasant scenarios no owner wants to encounter like diarrhea and constipation. If Bitsy or Spot is suffering from a little indigestion, a small spoonful of pumpkin can aid in getting their digestive system back on track. Fiber is good for your pet’s gastrointestinal health too and can help lessen Fluffy’s hairballs (score!).
Plain canned pumpkin is easy to feed your pet and packs a nutritional punch. When you’re picking out a can at the grocery store, be wary of pumpkin pie puree, a spiced mix with lots of added sugars you don’t want to feed your four-legged friend.
No jack-o-lanterns, please
Also, we love Halloween, but please don’t feed your pet any jack-o-lantern. While they’re festive, these decorative pumpkins can grow mold and bacteria that can be extremely harmful to your pet. Raw pumpkin isn’t safe for pets either. Just stick to a can of pure, organic pumpkin - it’ll make your life easier!
If you do want you to get into the spirit of Halloween with your best bud, check out our recipe for making
Halloween Pumpkin Kitty treats. We promise they’ll make you the cat’s meow.
At this point, you’re probably convinced to start sneaking pumpkin into Sparky’s kibble. The Petnet Team recommends giving one-half of a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of pumpkin puree to adult cats, and one to two teaspoons for dogs.
Be careful when adding pumpkin to your pet’s kibble. Adding too much of this miracle food can sometimescreatedigestive issues instead offixingthem. Talk to your veterinarian about a proper amount of pumpkin puree that will be suitable for your pet.