Pumpkin is the miracle food for your pets!

Pumpkin may be just what your pet’s upset stomach needs.

I don’t know about you, but it seems like all I see in the grocery store these days are pumpkins… and lots of them piled high outside in bins… I’ve never really thought of pumpkin as a fruit but that is the correct classification. It’s not a vegetable as many people believe.

Pumpkin has been described as a “ mystery food”, a “super food” and the “miracle” for pets because it is able to cure symptoms of diarrhea as well as constipation. But before you begin any treatment like this, it’s always wise to consult your veterinarian just to be sure of the underlying cause of the problem.

You can get this natural remedy at your local supermarket.

What makes pumpkin so special? Pumpkin is rich in carotenoids, beta-carotene, alpha-carotene, magnesium, zinc, potassium, vitamin A, iron and of course FIBER! It’s low in calories too. In fact, foods like pumpkin that are so rich in carotenoids have been shown to decrease the risk of various cancers and the two carotenes found in pumpkin – beta and alpha-carotene are very powerful phytonutrients.

Some of the other health benefits of pumpkin are:

A resistance to infection
Improved night vision
Improved blood pressure
Added support in the production of healthy red blood cells.

Now let’s get back to your pet…

You can effectively relieve your pet’s digestive upset in a matter of a few hours by simply adding a puree of canned pumpkin to your dog’s regular food. You can buy canned pumpkin in almost any store. Be sure you get 100% natural canned pumpkin (organic if possible) and not the sweetened pumpkin filling that is used for those delicious pies!

You can get this natural remedy at your local supermarket.

The pumpkin puree is a good source of fiber and it has a high water content that will help with both constipation as well as bouts of diarrhea. The water in the pumpkin will hydrate the intestine, which is needed to relieve the constipation and the high fiber content will absorb the excess water that is generated from the loose stool of an agitated colon.

How much should you feed your pet? This all depends on the size of your pet but a good rule of thumb is two teaspoons daily for small breed dogs (under 15 pounds), 2 tablespoons for dogs 15-35 pounds and for large/giant breeds you can give up to 5 tablespoons of pureed pumpkin per day.

This year, instead of letting that leftover pumpkin go to waste, use it to help “trick” your pet’s digestive system into proper working order. This will “treat” your dog or cat using natural remedies instead of conventional treatments. Your pets will thank you for it!