You’ll be happy to hear that pumpkin is not only healthy for dogs but it also has very practical uses!
Putting aside the outstanding nutrition for a moment…
Pumpkin has an amazing ability to ease constipation, diarrhea and upset stomach. This veggie will settle down a tummy and it works for animals too.
That’s right! Pumpkin will add bulk to your dog’s stool. It’s a soothing, time-tested digestive tract remedy for both people and their pets.
By contrast, regular laxatives are too dangerous.
Your Dog Can Have Pumpkin
And there are times when it really comes in handy!
Just keep it natural. Serve pumpkin to your dog without any added seasonings.
Nummy Tum Tum is highly recommended because it is organic and specially formulated for pets.
FYI: Pumpkin pie filling will not achieve the same benefits.
Pumpkin a Secret Weapon
While wonderful you still don’t want to get carried away.
Feed pumpkin too often and it may not have the same positive effect on doggie digestion (when it’s really needed)!
Save this veggie for when this type of nourishment will have a super beneficial effect.
An occasional pumpkin treat works and you can simply mix some in with regular dog food.
Constipation And Diarrhea
Do you see your dog straining to go #2?
That is obviously a sign of constipation. Small droppings or hard and very dry stools are also symptoms.
Such problems can reduce your dog’s appetite (after all they’re backed up).
Pumpkin’s fiber and bulk can help a constipated dog.
In fact, you can just as effectively treat a case of diarrhea using pumpkin.
It cannot, however, ensure hydration during such a vulnerable time. Make sure your dog is getting enough water. Dehydration is a common cause of constipation.
A Weight Loss Winner
Besides digestion, pumpkin is an excellent diet regulator for weight loss.
It has the effect of making your dog feel more full than they really are!
Play The Waiting Game
When your dog is straining or experiencing loose stools that isn’t out of the ordinary or necessarily serious.
It will typically stabilize without any intervention and return to normal. By the time you give pumpkin (and it makes its way through your dog’s system) they may have been fine anyway.
So, pumpkin could give the illusion of great a remedy in action.
Sometimes you just don’t know.
Nevertheless, it can be useful.
When to Call Your Vet
Does your dog have recurring constipation or diarrhea? Has pumpkin not helped?
It’s time to call your vet!
They will determine the cause(s) of these lingering problems.
Seriously! A diagnosis is needed. Bring your furry friend in so they can check them out.
The Bottom Line
You can give your dog pumpkin. It’s one of the best foods for digestive trouble.
You may see much needed soothing relief (normalizes bowel movements). It is a great fix for dog diarrhea or canine constipation.
Pumpkin is also very nutritious. What a winner!
I have a 10 week old Maltipoo. How often can he have pumpkin?
My daughter’s high school principal had a black Lab that was terribly overweight. He started giving her pumpkin every day and within two months her weight had normalized.
The dog was easier than the kids, who had to be trained to stop giving her treats. Pumpkin worked wonders on the dog.
I was carving a pumpkin and I fed Mille the pumpkin squash and some seeds.
I have a six-year-old Goldendoodle who has always had soft stools. I have tried many dry foods including Wellness, Natural Balance, Merrick, Dr. Forster’s and Blue Buffalo. I am currently feeding her Fromm Adult, and recently added a teaspoon of pumpkin in the morning and at night. Her stools have solidified and she loves it. Problem solved!
I have a 2 year old Frenchie with a sensitive stomach and allergies. He eats Wellness Grain-Free Puppy mixed with pumpkin every other day. This particular brand of food is the only one he can tolerate. Before his stools were slightly runny and too soft.
We changed him to Wellness and his stool became firmer, soft but better shape-wise. It still wasn’t enough so I researched pumpkin. It works and I never stopped using it. He gets a tablespoon, every other day, mixed in with his dry food.
We have a 5+ year old English Bulldog. She has skin issues and other allergies. We thought we found a good prescription diet from the vet about a year ago but didn’t know that the food was very low in fiber. We did notice an improvement overall with her skin. Also she wasn’t wasting as much of the food and thought it was because it was a better quality. In fact, it was backing her up which then led to stomach issues and uncontrollable drooling, like she was poisoned.
We’ve been stressed trying to get all this under control for her. We have made many visits to the vet to the tune of $4,000 last year. I begged them for an enema for her. They reluctantly prescribed a stool softener. She now is coming off the vet food and onto a grain-free product that I add water to. I’ve reduced her kibble because she’s not an overly active dog. Who am I kidding, she’s a couch potato.
I give her 100% pure pumpkin, a heaping tablespoon, and add warmish water so that it’s soupy with some pumpkin on top. This is so she’s not just drinking the pumpkin, but getting some more pumpkin which she loves thankfully! It’s a very stressful problem for owners trying to help their animals. While I am an advocate of vets, I remember they are in business and I’m not an ATM. Hope this helps!
Our puppy has bad diarrhea. He was diagnosed with giardia which we are now treating. I gave him an ice cubes worth of pure organic pumpkin, which he loves, and it literally worked over night! We had tried everything for 3 weeks to no avail. The vet originally thought it was his food bugging him since he hadn’t even been outside yet, so we hadn’t tested for Giardia until today.
After giving it to him last night, his stool was solid this morning, as was his second this afternoon. We are thrilled to now know the underlying issue as well as a way to firm it up for easy cleaning. I highly recommend to use this along with veterinary care. I highly support natural methods, but just make sure you treat both the disease and the symptoms.