How Can Make More Delicious
1. Add meat .
2. Add vegetable supplements like carrots, cauliflower, etc.
3. Add protein powder or other protein sources like beans.
5. Add herbs or spices for flavor.
6. Try to add your favorite vegetables, cereals, and meats for your dog to enjoy.
7. Add yogurt with a few drops of lemon juice to the mixture, along with the egg, and make it more appealing for dogs who have sensitive stomachs.
Using Pumpkin To Treat Dogs With An Upset Stomach
If you have a dog, youre likely to confront the occasional bout of stomach upset . Depending on the cause and severity of the tummy turmoil, there are some accessible treatments that can help relieve your pup of their discomfort.
One natural way to ease your dogs minor stomach upset is to feed them plain pumpkin. Yes, this nutrient-rich superfood not only makes a great treat its a reasonably affordable, widely available digestion helper.
Heres what to know about pumpkin as a stomach aid, and how to feed it to your dog.
The many nutritional benefits of pumpkin
Pumpkin provides a lot of nutritional bang for the buck. A cup of plain pumpkin only contains about 80 caloriesbut that comes with a healthy 10 grams of dietary fiber, or about 1.25 grams of fiber per ounce.
Like many fresh orange veggies, pumpkin is also rich in beta-carotene and other antioxidants which may reduce your dogs risk for cancer and promote healthy vision. Pumpkin contains lots of vitamin A, which also helps with dogs eyesight, but is an equally important nutrient for healthy skin, teeth, and bones.
To unlock these benefits, though, its important to make sure youre only feeding plain pumpkin with no sugar, spices, or other additives.
Just pumpkin. Just a little for your pup.
Why pumpkin is an effective treatment for upset stomachs in dogs
When to use pumpkin to treat an upset stomach
How to use pumpkin to treat your dogs upset stomach
You can cook your own pumpkin or purchase it canned.
How I Recommend Meal Prepping This Recipe:
Probably the easiest way to meal prep this recipe is if you have a large food processor. Personally I have a 12 cup food processor, which really helps me quickly throw together a recipe with minimal prep time.
I place my 12 cup food processor container with blade onto a the cooking scale.
First I do the chicken thighs. I use a knife to rough-chop them into thirds, then measure out 312g of cooked chicken thighs for the recipe.
Next I tare the scale. Then I add 86g of my cooked chicken livers.
Since a large portion of this recipe is meat now is a great time to use the food processor to break up all that meat into smaller pieces to easy eating.
To this mixture I add 28g apple , and 39g cooked button mushrooms. Then blend again to chop.
Finally add 123g canned pumpkin , your oats , and 29gdrained canned pink salmon without skin and bones.
Blend once more. Now this bowl with all my cooked and raw ingredients is placed in my fridge to cool for about an hour.
After cooling completely I can add in my oils the safflower oil and fish oil. Along with my supplements as per the recipe above.
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When Switching Dog Food Is Not Recommended
There are situations where changing a dogs diet is not recommended. One such situation is switching a dogs food to prevent food allergies. Currently, there is no evidence to support this concept.
Since food allergies develop because of a dogs genes, and not because of the number of foods they have been exposed to, it is best to keep your dog on the one food they do well on and manage any allergies if/when they become prevalent in your dogs life.
Transitioning To Homemade Dog Food
Most dogs dont have a problem making the switch to homemade food. If yours is prone to digestive issues, start slowly by mixing a little bit of the homemade food with the commercial food.
Over the course of a week or two, gradually increase the amount of homemade food while decreasing the commercial food.
If your dog vomits or has diarrhea, try introducing only a couple of new ingredients at a time until their systems are well adjusted to the fresh diet.
For dogs with health issues, please consult with a veterinarian if you arent sure what kind of supplements are needed. Use your best judgment, the way you would when feeding yourself or your family.
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How Does Pumpkin For Dogs Work
Pumpkin for dogs works by supporting digestive health because of its soluble fiber content and water content. It boosts the dogs digestive system, prevents dog constipation and dog diarrhea. It also keeps the dog satiated, thus promoting weight loss.
Pumpkin for dogs is an excellent food choice as it is loaded with healthy nutrients, such as vitamin A , vitamin E, vitamin C, potassium, iron, zink, calcium, etc. It is also loaded with dietary fiber, healthy fatty acids, and antioxidants.
When To Switch Puppy To Dog Food
Most puppies need to transition to adult food around 1-year-old, though age and breed may be factors here. Larger breeds may grow up to 18-24 months, so they can stay on a large breed puppy food longer than smaller breeds.
The best way to tell when your dog is ready to transition from puppy food to adult is to monitor their weight. Dogs tend to reach full height and length before reaching their adult weight range, so monitor their weight and muscle development using the dog body conditioning score.
This can help determine if your puppy is ready to switch to adult food. Adult dogs fed puppy food can gain excess weight and maybe consume higher levels of nutrients, like calcium, than they require, which could lead to problems as they age.
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Looking For A Custom Dog Food Diet Plan
Looking for a bit more help moving your pup onto a fresh food diet?
Or maybe you are trying to figure out how to combo-feed your dog?
Would you like to discuss your dogs nutritional needs in detail to make sure you are feeding them appropriately?
Then a Dog Food Nutritional Consultation may be for you. During a dog food nutritional consultation we will discuss:
- An overview of your dogs nutritional needs including macro-composition , caloric needs, and micronutrient needs due to disease states.
- An audit of your dogs current diet to see if it fits your dogs current nutritional, behavioral and lifestyle needs.
- Recommendations of how to improve your dogs diet: this may include switching recipes, a homemade diet, combination feeding, supplements, enrichment activities, etc
- An overview of how to transition between pre-made/manufactured diets or onto a homemade dog food.
About the Author: Nikki is a Registered Veterinary Technician and Dog Mom with over a decade of experience with dogs and cats. Since graduation from college she has adopted two mixed breed dogs Ranger and Ash, and has focused her time learning about pet food and nutrition.
Nikki shares information on a range of dog nutrition topics: from how to create a homemade complete and balanced dog food recipes, to how to choose a dog food. Nikki strives to give dog parents the information they need in order to make the best nutrition decisions for their pup!
Where To Buy Canned Pumpkin For Dogs
All featured products are chosen at the discretion of the author. However, Great Pet Care may make a small affiliate commission if you click through and make a purchase.
When looking for where to buy the best canned pumpkin for dogs, you can usually head to your local grocery store. Canned pumpkin is typically housed in an aisle with baking supplies like flour, sugar and canned fruit. You can also purchase it in bulk through stores like Costco and Sams Club, as well as on Amazon or at your local health food stores.
Its always good to have plain, canned pumpkin on hand for upset stomach or diarrhea in dogs.
When purchasing canned pumpkin for dogs, its important to make sure pumpkin is the only ingredient on the can. If it contains any other additives or spices, then do not use it, says Hall.
Here are some places to purchase canned pumpkin for dogs online:
Convenient single-serve pouches mean no more waste or refrigeration is required. Weruvas convenient pouches are travel-ready and a great source of fiber. Packaged with 12 pouches, Wervuas pouches support stool quality and supports gut motility.
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How To Find A Similar Formula When Changing A Dogs Food
Another trick to making a diet change go smoothly is to make the change as small as possible. If your dog likes eating wet food, pick a new wet food dont try switching to dry.
If beef is their favorite flavor, stick to beef-based diets. Look at the old foods ingredient list and guaranteed analysis and try to find a new food that is a close match in as many ways as possible. Staying with the same manufacturer can help as well.
When To Use Bland Diets For Dogs
Whether kibble, freeze-dried, raw, or cooked, adult dogs fed any diet can experience digestive issues and may temporarily need a bland diet. Before starting any diet change or treating your dog with a bland diet, its best to have your veterinarian rule out any major underlying gastrointestinal issues your dog might have.
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Earthborn Holistic Venture Duck Meal And Pumpkin Review
Venture by Earthborn Holistic is a high-quality Limited Ingredient range. No two formulas within this range are the same, and they utilize a variety of vegetables, meat, and fish ingredients.
A key theme of the range is the use of non-traditional vegetable ingredients such as Pumpkin and Tapioca.
In some of Ventures recipes, Pumpkin is the primary carbohydrate ingredient that is unprecedented in mainstream dry dog food.
Traditional ingredients like Peas and Chickpeas are still present in some of the formulas but in far smaller proportions than usual.
The above-mentioned Duck Meal and Pumpkin recipe have the most substantial portion of Pumpkin present of any of the Venture formulas.
However, if you are looking for a recipe that features Pumpkin without any legumes, you would be wise to check out Alaska Pollock Meal and Pumpkin.
All of the recipes in the Venture range make use of high-quality meat and fish ingredients. Some of these are typical ingredients, such as Turkey and Pork, but others are more unusual such as Rabbit or Pollock.
Venture formulas also include a significant portion of Flaxseed, which is probably the best plant-based source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
The inclusion of Flaxseed could be particularly advantageous in the recipes that do not feature any fish ingredients.
Earthborn Holistic recently came out with a new product line known as unrefined. This is a grain-inclusive line that is free from any legumes.
Is Pumpkin Safe For Puppies
These baby dogs are growing fast and naturally need a little more love when it comes to nutrition. Anything that will benefit an adult dog will usually also be beneficial to puppies when it comes to natural foods. Since pumpkin for dogs is great, its also great for puppies. Puppies tend to need more than adult dogs when it comes to nutrition from food in general. Feed a little bit of pumpkin at a time here and there, no more than 2 tablespoons.
If youre looking to provide your puppy all the nutrition they need, consider feeding Cali Raws Puppy Formula.
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Change Your Dogs Diet Over A 7
The easiest way to transition your dog from one food to another is by gradually changing the foods your pet eats over a seven to 10-day period. Start by mixing the new food with 90% of the old, then slowly increase the amount of the new food over the same time period. Be sure to keep meal times and eating areas the same. If your dog has an underlying medical condition, consult a veterinarian to make the switch.
Never drastically alter your dogs diet. You should gradually make a change over a seven to ten-day period. For instance, feeding your dog an entirely new type of food before taking a car trip could cause car sickness, while feeding him before a vigorous exercise session could lead to bloat, which can be dangerous. Make sure to follow these tips when introducing new food to your dog.
Its also important to consider the nutritional value of the food youre feeding your dog. A diet rich in essential fatty acids is critical to a healthy coat and skin. To help your dog maintain a healthy coat, look for a dog food with Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. The AAFCO label assures that the food is balanced and complete. Your dogs weight will increase or decrease with the new diet.
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White Rice Or Brown Rice
- Rice is a typical staple for a bland diet because rice is easily digested by dogs and easy on an upset stomach. However, there is one thing that many pet parents overlook when feeding their dog white or brown rice – you must overcook the rice in order for it to be highly digestible for dogs. Rice must be a mushy consistency before being fed to dogs. It should not be fed to dogs if the rice is cooked like what we humans would eat. As far as choosing white or brown rice – it comes down to personal preference and what your dog does best on. White rice is not as bad as many people think it is. Especially when it comes to digestion and dogs with sensitive stomachs, white rice can help tremendously while providing certain nutrients such as B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese, all of which are required in a dogs diet. White rice does have more sugars than brown rice, and therefore if you have a dog that is diabetic, it is best to steer clear of white rice. Healthy adult or senior dogs without a food intolerance to white rice do not need to steer clear of it unless their pet parent prefers to feed them brown rice. Brown rice contains more fiber which can be beneficial for firming up stools as long as the brown rice is prepared properly. Be careful not to feed too much brown rice though, as too much fiber from brown rice could also cause constipation.
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Canned Pumpkin For Dogs: 9 Ways To Use It
From pumpkin spiced lattes to pumpkin bread, pie and beyond, humans love the chance to eat anything pumpkin flavored, especially when fall rolls around. Your pet is no different.
Dogs have evolved to have an affinity for sweet flavors, so pumpkin is the perfect treat since its sweet without added sugar, says Dr. TB Thompson, a veterinarian in Phoenix, Arizona.
Pumpkin is a fun ingredient to include in homemade dog treats and can be used as a digestive aid to treat ailments like diarrhea and constipation. And unlike some digestive supplements, which your veterinarian may prescribe for the same symptoms, your pup will actually enjoy eating canned pumpkin for dogs.
Pumpkin For Diarrhea In Dogs
Cooked, pureed pumpkin, rich in soluble fiber, is commonly cited as a natural remedy for diarrhea in dogsbut it should be used with caution.
In Natural Dog Care, Bruce Fogel, DVM, MRCVS, explains, Soluble fiber slows down the digestion and absorption of food in the small intestine. Because diarrhea in dogs can sometimes be attributed to intestinal hurry, pumpkin may help prevent digestion from moving too quickly.
However, fiber can sometimes exacerbate the issue. Gary Weitzman, DVM, President of the San Diego Humane Society and author of the book The Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness, says, I dont recommend pumpkin for dogs with diarrhea. It wont hurt your dog, but its probably not going to help. Additionally, your dogs diarrhea can be caused by any number of factors, from pancreatic disease to parasites, and regardless of whether your pup tolerates the orange stuff, it wont help with the underlying issue.
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Canned Pumpkin Benefits For Dogs
Given appropriately, canned pumpkin may help ease the symptoms of upset stomach in dogs. The fiber in pumpkin will pull moisture from your pups body and can help stool soften and pass, says Dr. Evelyn Kass, a veterinarian in Phoenix and founder of Pet Nutrition Doctor. Fiber can also help to support a healthy microbiome in your dogs gut.
And when it comes to using canned pumpkin for dog constipation, Kass warns that if your dog is constipated because of dehydration, its important to rehydrate before giving the pumpkin. Hydration is always the first therapy for constipation, she says.
When To Stop Feeding Your Dog A Bland Diet
Getting your dog back to its regular diet is the ultimate goal! Transitioning back to your dogs regular food such as a kibble, freeze-dried, or raw diet is easy as long as you take it slowly. The total transition time from a bland diet back to your dogs regular diet after upset stomach signs are gone usually takes about 5 days. On the first transition day, you can mix 25% of your dogs regular food with 75% of the bland diet. If your dog does well, then you can split the regular food and bland food 50/50. Continue this gradual change as long as your dog is doing well until your dog is back to the regular diet.
Bland diets should never be fed to your dog as a long-term dietary solution because they lack the required macro and micro nutrients a dog needs for overall health and wellness. As a short-term solution, a bland diet is fine, but long-term it is not. If your dog has a sensitive stomach and does better on a bland diet, then its best to consult your veterinarian or a Canine Nutritionist who can build your dog a diet that will meet nutrient requirements while also being digestible by your dog.
For more wellness advice, join my Community on Dogly where you can ask questions and get 24/7 access to certified experts across nutrition, training & behavior, and wellness to give you and your dog your best life together.
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