So what can help BOTH diarrhea AND constipation in dogs? Pumpkin! The fiber-rich vegetable, which contains Vitamins A, C and E as well as potassium and iron can be a go-to source if your dog is having gastrointestinal problem. Which is a problem not only for the dog – but you humans too….
Now keep in mind that we are talking about use of pumpkin if you are dealing with a “typical” case of diarrhea from something like a change in diet – not a serious problem like an obstruction or some underlying disease. You need to see your vet to help you in those cases.
But if you know the cause, you can help your dog by adding anywhere from 1-4 tablespoons of canned pumpkin to your dog’s food. But make sure it is the PURE canned pumpkin – and NOT pumpkin pie filling. That stuff includes too much sugar and it may include xylitol – a substance that can be toxic to dogs.
At this time of the year, pumpkins are easy to come by. You can actually feed your dog FRESH pumpkin, but interestingly, it has more water than canned, and not as great a concentration of nutrients.
I’m not sure how many nutrients are in the stems. That’s the part that the FG and I prefer to eat. The FG actually would prefer using the pumpkin as a ball. And not a dietary supplement.
Anyway, go pick out your pumpkin and don’t forget to carve your dog o’lantern. I found the following site with lots of dog pattern stencils to download for free. Unfortunately, there is no PON or Picard.
I did find these photos by Marta Amundson – who shared her pattern for making a Picard:
Happy pumpkin day!
Have a good one. Peace and paws up.
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