Can dogs eat pumpkin??

As it is the Halloween season and pumpkins are everywhere, it is worth mentioning that pumpkin has numerous health benefits also for dogs. The best option is to give your dog a cooked fresh pumpkin or canned natural pumpkin - without added sugar, be careful not to choose pie filling for example! You may pick the organic canned pumpkin for the highest quality.

Pumpkins have numerous health benefits for your dogs, below I list 5 of them. All of them apply also to human health. Enjoy eating pumpkin together with your dog.

1) Digestive Health: Pumpkin is a fabulous source of fiber, it can help dogs (and also cats) with both constipation and diarrhea. Adding a tablespoon or two (in proportion to their size) to their regular meal is known to help keep them regular.

2) Urinary Health: pumpkin seeds are high in essential fatty acids and antioxidants, and the oils in pumpkins’ flesh and seeds are believed to support urinary health. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene, potassium and iron.

3) Weight- loss A fiber-rich diet helps both people and dogs eat less, and thereby shed pounds. Adding vegetables to diet of your dog makes it well-balanced and healthy.

4) Pumpkin keeps eyesight sharp - vitamin A aids vision.

Pumpkins are also rich in carotenoids, the compounds that give the gourd their bright orange color, including beta-carotene, which the body converts into a form of vitamin A for additional peeper protection.

5)Cancer prevention Like their orange comrades the sweet potato, the carrot and the butternut squash (to name a few), pumpkins boast the antioxidant beta-carotene, which may play a role in cancer prevention, according to the National Cancer Institute.

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