Can pumpkin affect your dog’s health at the same time?
According to medical experts, pumpkin can be harmful to your dog’s health as well, but only if you give them large amounts. The pumpkin should be consumed in moderation, just like any other natural food, because they are still animals and can’t digest food like humans.
Even though vitamin A has a lot of benefits in dogs, too much can be toxic. One of the most important things that you have to take into consideration when it comes to your dog’s diet is to avoid pumpkin or other foods if you see that your furry friend doesn’t want to eat, vomit or is in pain. Don’t force them to eat if they don’t want to.
“[Pumpkin] should equal no more than 10 percent of your dog’s diet. Any more can cause a nutritional imbalance and could result in them not absorbing other nutrients, including protein, effectively,” said Dr. Dougherty.
Nevertheless, it’s important to remember that the “canned pumpkin pie mix has a lot of added spices, which can cause toxicities. It contains added sugar, making it up to 281 calories per cup, which can add on the pounds quickly in small animals. Some canned pumpkin puree has up to 600 milligrams of added sodium per cup, which can be harmful to pets with heart and kidney disease,” added Dr. Dougherty.
