As a pet owner, you may wonder if the food that you are feeding your dogs and cats are safe. Of course, you wouldn’t want to cause them any harm, would you? Luckily pumpkin is one food that is safe and healthy for your pet and you. Read on to know how pumpkin is safe for your pets, the health benefits it offers, and find recipes to share pumpkin with your furkids.
The health benefits of pumpkin for your pet
Pumpkin is one of the healthiest human foods you can feed to your dogs and cats. It offers a variety of health benefits for your pets, and you, too! Among these are:
1. Pumpkin promotes a stronger immune system
Being rich in Vitamin C, pumpkin also boosts your pet’s immune system when consumed regularly. Pumpkin is also rich in Vitamins A and E, which can act as antioxidants and help prevent cancer and other forms of terminal diseases.
2. Pumpkin is good for your pet’s eyes
Pumpkin is very rich in Vitamin A, which is good for both you and your pet’s eyes. Vitamin A helps prevent eye degeneration, and it also supports maintaining and improving your pet’s sharp eye vision. Vitamin A is highly soluble in fats and mixing pumpkin with oil makes it even healthier.
3. Pumpkin promotes hair and skin health
If you wish your pets’ skin and hair to be healthy, feeding them pumpkin is one of the cheapest and healthiest ways. Pumpkin is 90% water, and consuming it can result in great hydration in your pets, making their skin supple and their coats extra shiny.
How many pumpkins can you give to your pets?
Of course, too much of something is never good; this is also true for feeding your pets pumpkin. You have to make sure that you monitor their consumption. Follow these dosage rules to feed pumpkin to your feline and canine friends:
- Small pets and cats, give as much as 1 teaspoon
- Large pets, give as much as 1-2 tablespoon
To administer this, you can put them in their bowls and mix them with their food. Or, you can also serve it on a spoon directly as a treat.
3 easy-to-prepare pumpkin recipes for your pets
Now that you know how safe pumpkin is for your pets check out the following simple and easy-to-prepare recipes for your furbabies:
Frozen pumpkin treats
For this yummy dog treats, you only need the following:
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup pumpkin juice or puree
To prepare, follow these 4 simple steps:
- Mix 1 cup of yogurt and 1 cup of pumpkin puree in a clean container;
- In an ice tray (you can use other molders if you have any), evenly divide the mixture;
- Freeze it overnight; and
- Pop them out of the tray or your molder and give them to your pets as treats.
Pumpkin with peanut butter
The following are what you need in preparing this delish pumpkin treats:
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 cup pumpkin (crushed or those served in cans would do)
- 1/2 cup of xylitol-free peanut butter
Here are the steps to prepare them:
- Preheat your oven for up to 370 degrees Fahrenheit;
- While waiting for the oven to heat up, mix all together with the flour, pumpkin, and peanut butter in a bowl and make a dough;
- Roll out your dough and cut them using your cookie cutter (the fancier the designs, the more fun!);
- Bake for 10-12 minutes;
- Give your pets as treats and enjoy!
Banana with pumpkin
To prepare these delicious treats for your dogs, all you need are the following:
- 3 cups of flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 to 1 and a half cup of pumpkin (puree or mashed would do)
- 1 mashed banana
Here are the easy steps for preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 300–350 degrees Fahrenheit;
- Mix the mashed banana, eggs, pumpkin, and flour in a bowl;
- Roll out the dough to your desired size as treats;
- Bake for about 15–20 minutes.
- Give them to your pets and let them enjoy this treat!
Pumpkin is safe for your pet
Pumpkin is very healthy for your pets; it helps promote their overall health. And not only do they taste good, but they are also cheap and could be found anywhere! If you still have concerns if your pet will appreciate pumpkin as much as you do, it is always wise to consult your nearest veterinarian. Enjoy your healthy pumpkin treats!