Across the UK, 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin ends up in the bin after Halloween! But can we reduce this amount of waste by putting our pumpkin to good use? See what we have to say below...
1. Easy purée for enrichment prep!
Purées are a popular enrichment addition as they can be easily mixed with dry food, wet food or raw to get the correct nutrients (and fun colours!) into every meal! Purée the pumpkin and use a tablespoon or two on a Lickimat, in a Toppl, or freeze into moulds as a decoration for your Lickimat/Toppl instead!
You can even use the No Fuss Fill to fill a kong with some tasty pumpkin purée!
2. It's a dog superfood!
Pumpkin is high in fibre, low in cholesterol and low in fat. It is also packed to the brim with iron, beta-carotene, potassium and vitamin A/C/E! This makes it a healthy and tasty treat for dogs.
3. It is great for aiding digestion!
The high fibre content of pumpkin enables it to firm up poops, so it can provide great benefit to pups suffering with constipation or diarrhoea. Don't go crazy with the pumpkin - use in small amounts!
4. Not just a stomach soother...
Pumpkins natural properties help it to remove excess water from a dog's digestive tract too!
5. Powerhouse of prebiotics!
Prebiotics support the presence of important bacteria in the digestive tract that keeps everything running smoothly. Digestive health is strengthened with the addition of prebiotic-loaded foods such as pumpkin and butternut squash.
Things to remember
Too much fibre can be dangerous so it's important to add small amounts (1 - 4 tablespoons). It's important to also check the sodium content, in the case of canned pumpkin, as it can be too high for dogs that have heart of kidney disease. Plain canned pumpkin without additives is an easy treat for your pup!
If you have been left with some pumpkin seeds, you can roast them for a nice crunchy treat addition to your pups diet! Maybe even in a treat dispenser toy! Always ensure you take the dog's size into consideration, very small dogs may not be able to handle whole pumpkin seeds so they may need to be fed in smaller sizes.
Have a Happy Halloween everyone!
TDEC
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