Pumpkin…It’s Not Just for Pies

Those of us who have or had pets would agree that they are a member of the family.  So when we write about our journey to a healthier family, we are most definitely including our furry family members as well. 

We welcomed a new puppy  into our family a couple months ago and even though we’ve owned a dog before, I’m learning new things all the time with our new puppy…like how playful (and how mischievous!) a boxer pup can be.  But an interesting thing I learned recently is about the power of organic pumpkin to settle a pet’s upset stomach. 

We’ve been transitioning our pup to a new food recently and, even though we’ve done it gradually as recommended by our vet, it still has caused her some stomach issues.  My sister-in-law works part-time at a specialty pet store and she suggested we mix a little pumpkin with our pup’s food.  I figured with the holiday season, why not let our newest family member join in the tastes of autumn as well!  After further research, I learned that pumpkin in it’s pure form, not sweetened or flavored for pie filling, is a natural stool softener, high in fiber, making it a great remedy for constipation.  But in our case, we were having the opposite problem, and apparently the dietary fiber in canned pumpkin absorbs water so it’s great for firming up loose stools as well.  We added a spoonful of organic canned pumpkin to each of our pup’s meals, and within about a day or two, she was back to normal.  Organic pumpkin for dogs is sold at specialty pet stores.  However, when I checked out the ingredients, all it says is 100% organic pumpkin, so buying regular “human” organic pumpkin at the grocery store would do the same thing (and may be cheaper). 

Of course, any digestive problems in a pet could be a sign of something more serious so we encourage you to talk to your vet.