It's Halloween! Which means Pumpkin time for your Dog

by John Hodges

With Halloween just around the corner food shops, farmer markets and superstores are stocking up on all shapes, colours and size pumpkins for families to carve and illuminate pumpkins displays for their gardens and doorsteps. I imagine a lot of the pumpkin flesh gets thrown into the waste bin, much to the family dogs disgust.

Pumpkin flesh and seeds are an amazing source of nutrition for not only your family but your drooling pooch. The flesh and seeds are full of vital vitamins, minerals, fibre and are cheap and easy to prepare. It can also be made into delicious doggie treats, all of which can be frozen and used throughout the year. (recipes will be coming in the next blog entry)

Below is a list of seven important benefits for your dog from the consumption of pumpkin. Its got to be better than expensive vet bills and the nasty side effects that go hand in hand with the expensive medication that in my opinion is often over and wrongly prescribed.

Now go and buy a HUGE seasonal orange gourd, get carving Halloween displays and prepping doggie meals in the kitchen, the kids and your dogs will love you even more.

PUMPKIN BENEFITS FOR YOUR DOG

EYE HEALTH

As with humans, vitamin A (beta-carotene) is essential for eye health. It helps prevent macular degeneration, cataracts and night blindness. Pumpkin along with carrots are a great source of this vital vitamin.

GENERAL IMMUNE SYSTEM INTEGRITY

The most famous vitamin associated with human health is vitamin C which helps support all functions of the immune system.

Along with Vit A and Vit E found in Pumpkin are rich in Vit C. It will help prevent certain cancers and destroy dangerous free radicals in yours and your dogs’ body.

BOWEL AND URINARY TRACT SUPPORT

Pumpkin flesh and seed are a rich source of Omega 3 fatty acids. These vital anti-inflammatory fatty acids can help remove kidney stones and prevent urinary tract infection which ultimately can develop into more serious health problems. Also because of pumpkin in high in soluble fibre, it helps prevent constipation or diarrhoea, a common complaint in the dogs with poor commercial diets.

WEIGHT LOSS

Because of the high water content and soluble fibre in pumpkin, it can help remove stored toxins in your dogs’ body, acting like a sponge, removing the toxins that have been locked up by the immune system with fat cells. Regular addition of pumpkin, either canned or fresh will help maintain your dogs' weight and therefore overall health.

METABOLIC EFFICIENCY, MUSCLE INTEGRITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE

One of the most important all-round benefits of eating regular pumpkin supplemented meals is that it’s a great source of Potassium; ask any athlete about the importance of a regular, natural source of potassium. Everybody thinks of bananas as being the easiest source, maybe the marketing, as well as taste, has made this the most common go-to food but a pumpkin will go much further because of size. Prepare it and freeze so that it’s always at hand come meal times. Trust me your dog will love the sweet, creamy texture of pumpkin, you can even add a little honey or cinnamon for an added treat.

SKIN AND FUR

Nothing looks better than a dog with a shiny, healthy looking coat of fur. As well as all the vitamins and water content I’ve previously mentioned, Pumpkin is also rich in Zinc. This is the mineral that all the cosmetic companies promote in shampoos and body lotions to help maintain good hair and skin. The same applies to your dogs. Give them a makeover every day with a little pumpkin love.

PARASITES

Dogs can easily become infested with parasites such as tapeworms which they can pass on to humans. This wreaks havoc on the digestive system with symptoms including weight loss, scruffy coat and dry skin.

Pumpkin has a high concentration of the Amino Acid Cucurbitin which is toxic to most parasites and is often used to expel parasites in ruminants such as cattle, sheep.

PORTION SIZE

Recommended 1-4 tablespoons per day depending on the size of the dog.

IMPORTANT: Do not feed RAW Pumpkin flesh or seeds, only cooked or canned.

Beneficial Herbs & Spices for your Dog

I'm a big believer in preventative medicine via diet. This not only applies to myself and my family but it also applies to the animals in my life, especially the many dogs we look after. Correct and balanced nutrition is like making a regular deposit into a high-interest saving account in preparation for possible harder times in the future, a kind of safety net and deposits can be made with every meal we or our dogs consume.

Of course if the 'harder times' don't manifest, you have the good fortune of your acquired 'health' equity to enjoy into your old age. Who doesn't want healthy, pain-free twilight years? The same applies to your dog.

The early signs of inflammation in the body should never be ignored. When the system is showing signs of inflammation it's a signal to you that things are starting to go wrong. The common signs to look for are stomach and bowel conditions, aches and joint pains, skin and hair/fur conditions, rapid eye deterioration. These are all early warning signs that your body is becoming inflamed and sick and if ignored can lead to serious and often life-threatening disease. 

Many things in our lives can cause inflammation but most roads lead to poor, low nutrition diets that are often loaded with toxins such as colourants, sweeteners, bad oils, salts and much worse and scary nasties that I won't go into here but you can find out more by searching through the articles on my other blog.

The easiest way I find to assist my immune system, apart from my vegan diet, is the daily use of a wide range of spices and herbs. It's so simple and effective to apply to your daily routine, you have to wonder why our vets an doctors don't advise us all to do the same!

Our dogs can hugely benefit from the following herbs and spices as well as feeding them a 50/50 diet of meat & kibble /fruit & veg.

Here are my favourite SEVEN ingredients to use for your pooch.

Parsley

Used fresh or dried and used in moderation will help with all inflammation and help fight and prevent arthritis, treat and prevent stomach and bowel issues and is a powerful herb in fighting urinary infections. Your dog will also have a noticeably fresher breath

Ginger

Humans have known about and used Ginger for medicinal purposes for over 2000 years.  As with the use for humans, this powerful root spice is fantastic for treating your dog's upset stomach, relieve nausea,  especially motion sickness. If you are planning to take your dog in the car for any length of journey and you are worried about car sickness, give your dog a flat 1/4 tsp of dried ginger mixed in his food an hour before leaving on your journey. As a bonus Ginger has powerful anti-cancer properties which is why it is a daily part of my own diet.

Basil

This common herb is loaded with antioxidants, antiviral, antimicrobial and antifungal properties which is great news for both us and our dogs. Basil has a very high concentration of beta-caryophyllene which actually belongs to the cannabinoid family and is in many other herbs, such as rosemary, hops, cloves and of course cannabis. It is also found in high concentrations in black pepper.

Basil is an amazing anti-inflammatory and is especially useful in treating arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

One lesser known quality is for the treatment for anxiety which can be very common in pet dogs. If this is the case, add some dried basil to the food mix or make some special treats for your dogs. I'll add a simple, generic biscuits recipe and the end of the article. This is a great way to add these ingredients into treats so that your dogs have a regular supply.

 Milk Thistle

This is another favourite herb used for 1000's of years by our ancestors. It has incredible anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for humans but is often referred to as the 'Miracle Herb' for dogs. It's a must if your dog is suffering from digestive problems, although if this is the case, it's worth covering the research into the actual ingredients of the food you're feeding your pets.

It's easily available from most health shops, either in capsules form or as a liquid. Either way, it's easy to add to the dogs' food mix. Just add 1/4 teaspoon per 20lb of your dog's body weight. If your dog is overloaded with possible toxins, Milk Thistle will help remove them via the liver. This is recommended advise throughout the veterinary professions. But please if you are worried that your dog has consumed something toxic, don't hesitate, call your vet immediately. 

The miracle ingredient is a flavonoid called Silymarin. At the moment the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly confident that this substance helps in the treatment of serious liver conditions such as chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis.

Who'd have thought that the weed at the end of most gardens could have such beneficial properties?

Mint

Dog Breathe!! Everyone knows what I'm talking about. Just like us, it's easy for your dog to consume a treat with a little mint and it'll not only help his halitosis it'll also aid digestion.

It's a real easy herb to grow in pots and is a great addition to any kitchen.

Wild Mint, Spearmint and peppermint are all non-toxic to dogs but according to The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the English species Penyroyal (Mentha pulegium) should be avoided.

I'm saving my last two favourite ingredients until last.

Spirulina

Spirulina powder is blue-green algae and its scientific family name is "cyanobacteria". It is universally recognised as a superfood packed with a wide range of beneficial nutrients.

A single tablespoon (7 grams) of dried spirulina powder contains:
Protein: 4 grams.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 11% of the RDA.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 15% of the RDA.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 4% of the RDA.
Copper: 21% of the RDA.
Iron: 11% of the RDA.

It also contains decent amounts of magnesium, potassium and manganese, and small amounts of almost every other nutrient that we need and it has the same benefits for your dogs' health. It also has up to 60-70% of its dried weight made up of protein. 

Thanks to its powerful nutrients, spirulina can fight inflammation, ease digestive issues, reduce arthritis symptoms, improve mental function, enhance natural detoxification, and fight cancer (that’s just to name a few benefits).

It should be administered by mixing into meals or home-made snacks, 1/4 teaspoon per 2-lbs of dog.

IMPORTANT:
Blooms of blue-green algae in standing water, usually during the summer months can produce harmful toxins which stop a dog’s liver from functioning properly. However, not all types of blue-green algae are dangerous.

Sadly, exposure to toxic blue-green algae is often fatal, and can also cause long-term health problems in dogs that survive after drinking or swimming in algae-contaminated water. Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog just 15 minutes to an hour after drinking contaminated water.

Dogs who have been swimming in water can get the algae caught in their fur, and can ingest it while cleaning themselves later on.

Concentrations of the algae vary throughout the year and may not always be harmful - but you can’t tell simply by looking at them whether or not they are dangerous, so it is best not to run the risk of allowing your dog to come into contact with water where the algae may be present.

The powdered and dehydrated forms in the correct amounts are beneficial as discussed above.

Now to my favourite spice of all.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a yellow spice that’s often used to flavour Indian cuisine. Along with its blast of flavour, the powerful spice has been used for its medicinal purposes for centuries. Turmeric’s therapeutic benefits are believed to be a result of its bioactive ingredient curcumin (not to be confused with cumin).

It was widely used in traditional Chinese medicine as well as Ayurvedic medicine. Today, pet nutritionists recommend you give it to your pooch! Similar to how it benefits humans, adding turmeric to your pet’s diet can help ward off cancer, fight inflammation, aid digestion, kill dangerous parasites, and boost mood.

When it comes to turmeric, a little goes a long way! For every 10 pounds, add just a 1/4 of a teaspoon.


Here is one of our favourite home-made biscuit treat recipes. Any of the above herbs and spices can be added to this recipe, your dogs will love them.

Doggie Fruity Digestive

Ingredients

• 240 grams of spelt or rice flour 
• 1 large egg 
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
• 120ml hot water 
• 1 low sodium stock cube 
• Add any other safe ingredient: blueberries, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, diced apple or banana 

Instructions
Mixed together the egg and the oil and gradually add the flour and all other chosen ingredients until a firm consistency is created. On a floured surface roll out the dough to approx ½ inch thickness. Either make into balls and flatten with palm of your hand to make rough cookies or used a shaped cookie cutter.

Place on baking tray with ½ inch spacing and bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes. Take out and cool and store in a paper bag to keep crunchy.

For easy treats try raw fruit and vegetables such as carrot pieces or celery pieces dipped in unsalted peanut butter (with no artificial sweetners, especially Xylitol), banana chunks, frozen or fresh blackberries. Your dog might be cautious at first basically because he doesn’t recognise these new foods. I found a sure way to get your dogs to try new varieties of fruit and veg is to sit on the floor with them and share the treat, one for me one for the dog, works every time.

Finally, remember if you’re cooking yourself any vegetables always prepare a little extra for your dog. My dog always has Sunday dinner with us; he just loves a large bowl of steamed sweet potatoes, a few brussels sprouts, some cabbage or kale and a few carrot and peas. To finish off, I put on a good ladle of gravy made from the vegetable water. Our dog licks his bowl clean every time.

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Thanks

John Hodges

Dogs At Home

IMPORTANT: Like humans all dogs are different. Occasionally what works for one animal can be detrimental to another animal. Like humans, some dogs develop allergies to foods, including spices. If you notice any signs of allergic reaction contact your nearest vet immediately.

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