Is pumpkin an anti inflammatory for dogs

9 Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Dogs to Boost Their Health

Inflammation is essential in an emergency. It stimulates the immune system and starts the natural healing process. Yet, chronic inflammation can keep your pup sick and tired. Thats no way to live. Not when you can introduce anti-inflammatory foods for dogs and reduce inflammation for an improved quality of life.Chronic inflammation is a common modern-day problem. Science traces it to a variety of sources. Obesity, poor diet, and environmental toxins all contribute to your dogs inflammation.

Fortunately, when you recognize the causes of chronic inflammation, you can reduce or eliminate them so your dog can live his best life.

The Inflammation Problem

The inflammatory response is an essential part of your dogs healing process. It acts as a barrier against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens inside and out.For example, if your dog cuts his paw, it bleeds. But after a short time, the skin knits itself back together by regenerating new skin cells. The whole process is biological, with the white blood cells rushing in to protect the body against pathogens and stimulate healing.

Thats inflammation at work. The skin will be red, tender, and maybe a little swollen, but thats normal and encourages rest so the body can heal.This is the normal cycle of inflammation healing the body. The problem comes when the body never stops the process, and it becomes acute inflammation as a way of life instead of an emergency repair.That puts your dogs body in a state of high alert, and its not meant to function that way.

Chronic Inflammation Contributes to Diseases

Theres no shortage of research on the inflammatory response and the resulting diseases. For example, cancer is one of the leading causes of death for our beloved pets, and its linked to chronic inflammation. Joint pain is another inflammatory response. If your pet suffers from arthritis or mobility issues, they cope with inflammation.A short list of other health problems includes:

• Arthritis
• Heart disease
• Allergies
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Skin disorders
• Autoimmune diseases

The available research indicates virtually every type of disease can be traced to chronic inflammation.

By now, youre probably wondering what causes acute inflammation and if theres any way you can prevent it.

Causes of Chronic Inflammation

Scientists agree that the root cause of inflammation is oxidative stress. Oxidative stress comes from free radicals in the environment. Also part of biology, your dogs body naturally produces free radicals as a normal part of living. For example, as your dog digests food, the metabolism creates free radicals.

These free radicals are unpaired electrons frantically looking for a match. Theyre not only in your dogs body but also in processed foods like kibble and dry dog food. Theyre in the air your dog breathes and the water he drinks. Free radicals are everywhere in the body and the environment.All these unmatched electrons darting around create an imbalance in your dogs body chemistry. The body doesnt know what to do with them, so its in a state of distress and trying to cope, creating inflammation.So, how do you balance out the free radicals? You add antioxidants!Youve probably heard about superfoods like blueberries, curcumin, and turmeric. These antioxidant-rich foods contribute to your dogs health and boost the immune system. When your dog eats enough antioxidants to counteract the free radicals, your dog will experience the health benefits inside and out.Youll see the difference in your dogs wellness, and it all starts with nutrition.

9 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Dogs

Good nutrition is at the heart of any healthy lifestyle. But good nutrition is a little vague, so lets break that down.

Nutritionists and veterinarians will tell you good nutrition includes the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, vitamins and nutrients, fiber, and water. But whats the right amount? It changes depending on your dogs life stage, health, and if they have special dietary needs.For example, senior dogs may benefit from a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some may benefit from supplements for joint health like chondroitin and glucosamine.

Protein sources like chicken and turkey are good lean meats to build muscles and overall wellness. Fatty fish like salmon and sardines are natural anti-inflammatory foods thanks partly to their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Carbohydrates and fiber improve your pups digestive system, while vitamin C, fish oil, and calcium offer additional health benefits.Good nutrition is the right balance of ingredients for your dogs age, health, and lifestyle.

The health benefits of eating an anti-inflammatory diet cannot be understated. These foods are rich in antioxidants to counteract those nasty free radicals and reduce your dogs inflammation. Fish oil, sweet potatoes, carrots, and other foods offer a potent anti-inflammatory response to those free radicals. Youll see theyre rooted in real foods.Natural anti-inflammatory foods safe for your dog include:

1. Leafy greens: like spinach and kale, for example, are rich in antioxidants
2. Blueberries
3. Fatty fish like salmon and sardines are packed with omega-3 fatty acids
4. Sweet Potatoes
5. Pumpkin: fresh or canned but NOT pumpkin pie filling as its filled with sugar.
6. Broccoli
7. Carrots
8. Turmeric
9. Ginger

Such high-quality whole foods contribute to your dogs healthy immune system can improve health issues. They have anti-inflammatory properties, so your dogs body can counteract the effects of those wild free radicals. When your dogs immune system is strong, it supports their overall health, and you can see it in their bright eyes and glossy coat.

What Do Dog Owners Need to Know?

In addition to feeding an anti-inflammatory diet, feeding the appropriate amount of food for your dogs breed, age, size, and activity level is essential. Too many loving pet parents show their love by overfeeding food and dog treats, often leading to dog obesity, contributing to inflammation and diseases. Additionally, pet owners might look at this list and think, I can feed my pup these foods. You can, but start small. For example, you can offer baby carrots as a treat or offer your pup some salmon, but if you want to prepare your dogs meals yourself, make sure you have nutritional guidance.

Nutrition is more than simply switching to a mix of healthy superfoods. Also, youll want to avoid harmful foods like grapes, raisins, onions, chocolate, and xylitol.

Fortunately, healthy lifestyle changes nourish your dog from the inside out and can reduce inflammation. It starts with your dogs diet. When you feed your dog healthy dog food, you may start to notice increased energy and an overall sense of well-being.

We offer three ways to start if youre ready to try a well-researched, nutritious pet food with proven anti-inflammatory effects. There are no fillers or preservativesonly fresh natural remedies through high-quality ingredients.

Pumpkin Seeds For Dogs 9 Health Benefits Of Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin pie, pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice latte there are so many ways in which we humans enjoy pumpkins. But what about dogs? How good or bad are pumpkin seeds for dogs? That is the question that we will be tackling in this article.

While you might have heard a lot of rumors about the benefits and risks of pumpkin seeds for dogs, it can sometimes be difficult to discern what is true and what is a myth.

Thats why weve decided to write this article and clear up all the misconceptions about this tasty treat, and highlight all the known benefits of pumpkin seeds for dogs.

Whether its boosting their immune system, helping with digestion, or fighting off parasites, pumpkin seeds can be an incredibly useful treat that is safe for dogs and carries a lot of health benefits.

But like practically any other food, there are certain aspects of it that you should be careful about, especially when it comes to the amounts that you should be feeding your dog.

So, without further ado, lets get into more detail about the benefits of pumpkin seeds for dogs.

How Good Are Pumpkin Seeds For Dogs?

Pumpkins are generally a very healthy food item, at least when it comes to humans. Whether youre eating a pumpkin pie, pumpkin puree, or even store-bought canned pumpkin, your body is getting a lot of nutritional benefits.

Pumpkins are rich in things like vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene, and various other antioxidants, which together protect your cells from free radicals, keep your blood pressure low, and even help your body build up the strength to fight certain cancers.

And in addition to all that, its a very light food that will not make your or your dogs stomach upset. Those characteristics have led a lot of people to label it a superfood, and its not hard to see why.

But what about its seeds? And their impact on a dogs metabolism, in particular?

While dogs dont consume pumpkins in the same way that we do your pooch probably isnt a fan of pureed pumpkin they can still eat the seeds, and a lot of them actually find them tasty.

1. Pumpkin Seeds Vs. Worms

There is a ton of information that shows pumpkin seeds are useful in treating tapeworms and other parasites in humans, and the same is true for dogs.

Many veterinarians even advise using pumpkin seeds for worms since they include a variety of phytonutrients that are known for their toxic effects on worms by shutting down their nervous systems.

Its never a bad idea to ask your veterinarian for advice on the right number of seeds to use for your dogs size and medical history when it comes to deworming.

However, its important to note that there are also experts who claim that this is not entirely proven and might just be a tall tale. Speak to your veterinarian and get all the info before taking something as a fact.

In any case, your dog will probably still require additional routine deworming treatments as prescribed by your veterinarian.

Related: Can Dogs Eat Poppy Seeds? The Effects Of Poppy Seeds On Dogs

2. Parasite Prevention

Any intestine or anal gland condition can become more complex by the presence of intestinal parasites.

Giving pumpkin seed fiber to dogs provides them with an amino acid called cucurbitacin, which has the potential to function naturally as a dewormer. This supplement can aid in keeping your pet parasite-free and reducing intestinal inflammation.

The same thing that we said about worms applies to other parasites, as well. Pumpkin seeds alone will not cure your dog, they will merely provide it with some nutrients that will help its body be better equipped to deal with parasites.

You should always follow the advice of a licensed vet and have your dog go through all the necessary vaccinations and other required medical procedures.

3. High Fiber Content

Pumpkins, and particularly pumpkin seeds, are a great source of natural fiber.

A soluble fiber found in pumpkin slows digestion, aids in water absorption in cases of moderate diarrhea, and may also help with mild constipation.

Pumpkin seed fiber, which thickens the stool, also relieves anal gland inflammation and disease by promoting healthy anal gland expression before they become impacted or diseased (helping you avoid repeated trips to the vet).

4. Great For Weight Loss

With the help of pumpkin seeds, overweight dogs can maintain a healthier weight, but as a general rule, seeds should not be the only source of food.

Since they relatively carry a lot of nutritional value in a small package, they can leave your dog feeling full without actually stuffing its body full of calories.

This is great when youre trying to convince your dog to stick to a regular diet, or when you are trying to gradually decrease its daily calorie intake.

5. Pumpkin Seeds Help Keep Business Regular

Fiber from adding pumpkin to your pets diet can help your dog move stool effortlessly and without putting undue pressure on the intestines. Pumpkin is an effective at-home treatment for loose stools or constipation because of its fiber content!

For dogs struggling with picky stomachs and persistent diarrhea, pumpkin can be a helpful supplement.

Their seeds are a fantastic source of fiber and are loaded with vitamins and minerals, particularly E and K, in addition to minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc.

Fiber naturally gives their stools a little extra volume, promoting a healthy digestive system, effective weight management, and more.

6. A Lot Of Antioxidants

Antioxidants shield your dogs body from harmful free radicals. Damaged cells called free radicals rob chemicals from other cells. They are an organic by-product of metabolism and exposure to environmental pollutants.

Free radicals, however, can damage your dogs cells and even DNA if they are not dealt with.

These are the antioxidants that can be found in pumpkin: beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin.

Beta-cryptoxanthin and beta-carotene both combine to make vitamin A. Zeaxanthin helps to slow down the aging process, strengthen the heart, raise glutathione levels, and lessen skin inflammation.

Carotenoids aid in reducing the risk of cancer and degenerative diseases. According to studies, they might also be beneficial for bone health.

7. Reduce The Risk Of Inflammations

It has been demonstrated that giving ground pumpkin seeds to dogs has certain anti-inflammatory advantages for intestinal health and anal gland disease.

This results in fewer journeys to the vets office in order for those glands to be expressed, as well as less suffering and annoyance for everyone.

8. Improve Eye Health

Vitamin A is the key to good eye health in both humans and dogs. While most of vitamin A is actually found in the meat of the pumpkin itself, there is also a decent amount of it in the seeds.

Eating pumpkin seeds in moderation will help your dog maintain its eyes in perfect condition which will keep him sharp when it comes to spotting any potential intruders. Or, more likely, new napping spots.

9. Packed With Nutrients

For such a small food, pumpkin seeds are surprisingly rich in many nutrients. Weve mentioned some of them already in various contexts, but it doesnt hurt to speak about them once again.

Plain old pumpkin seeds contain many useful vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus, to name a few.

Additionally, they are rich in omega fatty acids, carbohydrates and antioxidants, which make them an incredibly healthy snack that you can have your dog eat instead of its usual dog treats. But dont let it be all that it eats.

Cons Of Pumpkin Seeds For Dogs

Your dog should be fine as long as seeds arent the only food it regularly digests. Before introducing pumpkin seeds to your pet, check with your veterinarian if they have knowledge of any illnesses or conditions they may have.

Small amounts of pumpkin seeds may not do much harm, but too many can result in vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, seizures, or even worse in dogs.

How To Feed Pumpkin Seeds To Dogs

Pumpkin seeds are typically about as big as an average treat and occasionally much simpler to swallow.

You can choose to boil them until they are crispy golden brown, ground them into a powder, or simply feed raw pumpkin seeds, and they will still have a pretty similar effect.

Basically, it comes down to what your dog likes.

That being said, we do have some tips on how to get the best out of pumpkin seeds for dogs.

Dont Add Any Spice

Just be careful about the type of pumpkin seeds you give your dog. Raw seeds are typically sold in grocery shops, however, they could be placed among seeds that have salt, spices, or other artificial additives. Natural is always best, as is the case with most things.

Read next: Can Dogs Eat Spicy Food And Is It Safe For Them?

Be Mindful Of Allergies

Check for allergies to pumpkin seeds. Give your dog a few seeds and watch how they respond. Stop giving them pumpkin seeds as soon as they exhibit any unfavorable symptoms, such as diarrhea, loss of appetite, vomiting, or stomach pain, and contact a veterinarian right once.

Dont Feed Your Dog Pumpkin Seed Shells

Take away the shells before you give the seeds to your pooch. Dogs can choke on and get digestion problems from shells. To extract the seed from the shell of a pumpkin seed, we advise boiling or rolling the seed.

Roast The Seeds Carefully

The best course of action is to roast pumpkin seeds completely plain, with no oil, salt, or other seasonings added.

Even if you might be tempted to add some extra flavor for your dog, you should know that this will not actually have any real benefits, and it might even be counter-productive.

Ground The Seeds

To ensure optimum digestion, you should consider grounding pumpkin seeds into a powder. This lessens the possibility of intestinal discomfort or obstruction.

Once you turn it into a powder, you can then feed it to your dog on its own or mix it up with some regular dog food.

Keep It In Moderation

Serve in moderation and in small portions.

Although dogs can safely consume pumpkin seeds, eating too many can have negative effects. Three to five seeds a day can be safely consumed by small dogs, five to ten by medium dogs, and ten to twenty seeds by large dogs.

Homemade Pumpkin Seed Recipes For Dogs

After speaking in length about the health benefits of pumpkin seeds for dogs, it would be remiss of us not to include at least a couple of tasty recipes that will allow you to test these theories.

Food that has a lot of spice or various condiments typically isnt fit for dogs, so the number one rule of thumb when making homemade food for your pup is to leave it plain.

Dont experiment with sauces or spices, because they wont add anything beneficial, and your dog wont even notice the difference in taste.

Dogs are simple creatures.

So, with that in mind, lets move on to a couple of really yummy dog food recipes that are based on pumpkin seeds.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Our first recipe is a really simple one that you can make in about 15 to 20 minutes. Simple roasted pumpkin seeds dont really require a lot of work and they can be a great treat for your canine companion.

Ingredients

Here is everything that you will need for this simple, but tasty, dog snack recipe:

• raw pumpkin seeds
• a big baking tray
• a grinder

Instructions

Now that youve got everything that you need, you can start with the preparation.

The first thing that you will need to do is preheat the oven. We recommend that you set it to a temperature of 300F (thats about 150 degrees for all of you Celsius folks out there).

While the oven is getting warmed up, you can remove the seeds from their shells, clean them in some water, and gently dry them off with a paper towel.

Spread the cleaned seeds out across your baking tray. The tray should be big enough comfortably hold all the seeds with enough distance between them. You dont want them all heaped together.

When the oven is ready, place the tray inside and set a timer for 15 minutes.

When the timer runs out, pull out the tray with the roasted pumpkin seeds out of the oven and let them cool off for a while before serving them to your dog.

At this point, you can make a decision whether you want to feed them whole to your dog or grind them up into a fine powder. If you choose the latter and decide to sprinkle them on your dogs food, use a coffee bean or spice grinder.

When storing the roasted seeds for later, make sure to use an air-tight container.

Pumpkin Seed Biscuits

Moving on from roasted pumpkin seeds, we get to something a bit more complex and time-consuming, but not too much!

These pumpkin biscuits are a true delicacy and will probably leave your dog begging for more. Make sure that you are immune to puppy eyes before baking this treat, otherwise, the whole tray will be empty before you know it!

Ingredients

Before starting the process of baking, here are all the ingredients that you should prepare:

• 1 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 apricots (as an alternative, you can use carrots, or even pumpkin, if you want to keep with the theme)
• plain applesauce
• smooth and plain peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of flour

Instructions

Did you get everything you need? Okay, then now is the time to get your baking hat on and get started with these delicious pumpkin seed biscuits for your doggie.

First things first, preheat your oven to a temperature of 350F (176C). Then place the pumpkin seeds onto a baking sheet, put it into the oven, and bake the seeds for an hour.

Once the seeds are baked, set some of them aside in order to make a cup of pumpkin seed powder. You can use a coffee grinder, a spice grinder, or a food processor for this part.

Now its time to turn to the apricots (or carrots, or raw pumpkin whichever you have chosen). Were going to be making a puree! Peel the apricots that you have prepared, remove their pits, put them into a food processor, and mash them into a nice, smooth puree.

Then take the puree and put it in a clean bowl. Add the egg to it, as well as three tablespoons of peanut butter and cup of applesauce. Remember, both the peanut butter and the applesauce should be plain and without any additives.

After youve successfully done that, get another bowl. We will be using this one for the dry ingredients. Get the pumpkin seed powder from before and mix it with the flour (the whole cup) in the bowl.

The next step is to make dough. Combine the dry and wet ingredients to form a semi-wet dough and then knead it with your hands.

Free up a cutting board or a countertop and cover it thinly with some flour. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough across this surface, making it about one-quarter to one-half of an inch thick.

That big layer of dough will be your basis for the biscuits. Grab a cookie cutter and start cutting out the dough. If you have a bone-shaped cutter, that would be perfect!

After youve cut out the biscuits, place them on a baking tray that has been lined with a baking sheet, and put them in the oven. Bake them for 15 to 25 minutes, which is enough time for them to start firming up.

Once theyre finished, take them out of the oven and put them somewhere they can cool off.

Conclusion

So those were some of the benefits of pumpkin seeds for dogs. Weve created this article as a sort of guideline for dog owners who were unsure about feeding pumpkin seeds to their pets.

We hope that it has cleared up any misconceptions you might have had and given you a couple of ideas for how to incorporate pumpkin seeds into your dogs diet.

Pumpkins are generally very healthy food, because they are rich in things like vitamin A, potassium, magnesium, and beta-carotene.

They are practically a superfood and a wonderful home remedy for humans, and they bring a lot of benefits to dogs, as well. However, as with anything in life, you should always practice moderation, and make sure that pumpkin seeds dont become your dogs main source of nutrition.

Pumpkin seeds for dogs work best as an additional source of nutrients, or as an occasional tasty treat that complements their regular diet.