At the latest when the pumpkin season begins, you will surely ask yourself: Can dogs eat pumpkin? You can find out here how healthy it really is for dogs and what you should definitely pay attention to.
In a nutshell: Can my dog eat pumpkin?
Yes, your dog can eat pumpkin. You can also feed him other cucurbits like cucumber, watermelon, and zucchini. In general, most four-legged friends love colorful winter vegetables. At the same time, they contain many nutrients and are therefore an absolute vitamin bomb.
Make sure you only feed your dog squash from the supermarket so you can be sure that it is not poisonous to your dog.
Pumpkin May Be Poisonous to Your Dog (Danger)
The problem with pumpkins and all other pumpkin plants are the bitter substances (cucurbitacins).
They can occur when you grow squash, zucchini, or cucumbers in your own garden. The same can be the case with ornamental gourds and wild gourds.
If you want to have decorative pumpkins at home as decoration, you should make sure that your four-legged friend cannot get to them. No matter how beautiful they are as fall decorations, you need to know that they are very poisonous to dogs. Your dog should never eat ornamental pumpkins.
With the pumpkins from the shop you have the advantage that the dangerous bitter substances have been bred away. It’s the same with cucumbers and zucchini. Spaghetti squash is also healthy for your dog. You’re more likely to find it in well-stocked supermarkets or in the organic market.
Most dogs like the taste of pumpkin.
You can feed him raw, fried, steamed, pureed and baked.
Do a taste test (better safe than sorry)
If you are unsure whether the pumpkin contains toxic bitter substances, you can simply try a small piece of it. You can do the same for other cucurbits like cucumbers and zucchini.
The fact is that dogs taste bitter things much later than we humans do. It is not uncommon for the dog to have swallowed the poisonous gourd by then.
Typical symptoms when eating poisonous pumpkin
If your dog has eaten pumpkin, which contains toxic bitter substances, you can tell by symptoms such as diarrhea, excessive salivation and tremors and cramps. In the worst case, an anaphylactic shock can quickly occur and thus endanger life. Incidentally, this can also be the case with us humans.
That’s why it’s very important that you take your four-legged friend to the vet or call animal rescue immediately if he shows any of the symptoms just mentioned after eating a pumpkin.
You can give your dog activated charcoal tablets as a first aid measure at home. These have the ability to bind toxins so that they cannot enter the bloodstream. However, these can only help if you know your dog’s weight and therefore administer the correctly calculated amount of tablets.
Reading tip: You want to know if dogs can eat watermelon? Find out all about it in our informative article on Can Dogs Eat Watermelon?
Pumpkin is so healthy for your dog
Pumpkin is very healthy for your four-legged friend. It contains numerous essential vitamins such as vitamins A, C and E. It is also full of minerals such as iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese and zinc.
Your dog can benefit from the health properties. According to this, consumption should stimulate digestion and metabolism. If he’s struggling with constipation, pumpkin can naturally soften stools due to the fiber it contains.
The vitamin bomb can support the immune system, improve insulin regulation and protect the bladder tract from infections. It is also said to have the property of being able to flush toxins out of the body. The pumpkin is also said to have health benefits for the bones and teeth.
Winter vegetables are said to have other health-promoting properties in prostate diseases. Accordingly, your dog may also eat the pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil. There are scientific studies on animals that have shown that both the kernel and the oil pressed from it are said to act as anti-inflammatory in prostate and urinary tract diseases.
In the case of incontinence, there should be positive experiences as a natural remedy.
They can also be administered as a natural wormer and can declare war on unwanted parasites in the intestine.
However, you should always crush or grind the pumpkin seeds first so that your dog can absorb the ingredients.
If your dog is overweight, it is a good idea to feed pumpkin along with a balanced diet. It is very filling and at the same time low in calories.
By the way, you can also use the valuable pumpkin seed oil externally. For example, with dry skin that tends to flake or with eczema. However, always pay attention to the best quality, real Styrian, cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil is best. So you can be sure that it only contains the highest quality and therefore most nutritious pumpkin seeds.
Conclusion: Can your dog eat pumpkin?
Yes, your dog can eat pumpkin, but only the ones from the supermarket. Ornamental gourds or those you grow yourself can contain bitter substances that can lead to poisoning and even death, not only in dogs. Your dog can eat squash both raw and cooked.
Feed the low-calorie winter vegetables in moderation, as they can quickly lead to loose stools or diarrhea, especially in sensitive dogs.
Do you have any questions about dogs and pumpkins? Then leave a comment now!