Too Much Pumpkin For Dogs?

The Short Answer is:

It is not just saying that too much pumpkin might harm your dog. It states that your dog might overdose on vitamin A if you feed him too much pumpkin.

In this article you will know the answer to the query “Too Much Pumpkin For Dogs?“.

Too much pumpkin can be harmful to a dog in two ways.

It is possible to feed them too much pumpkin in one day.

Also dogs can consume too much pumpkin when that is the only vegetable they are given every day and every week.

According to my recommendations the amount of pumpkin a dog should eat on any given day should not exceed 10% of their total food intake.

You should feed them one vegetable at a time for no more than a couple of weeks before moving on to another one.

Providing a real boost to your dogs health pumpkin is a fantastic fruit- as long as you do not overdo it!

Why is pumpkin good for dogs?

The purpose of this section is to highlight all the benefits pumpkin can provide to your dog.

For your convenience I have created a chart comparing fresh raw pumpkin to canned pumpkin

When we look at all of these numbers that illustrate how healthy pumpkins might be none of them are particularly unhealthy.

All of them demonstrate the pumpkins health benefits.

There are few calories fats carbohydrates or sugars in this fruit- but it has a lot of water!

My surprise is that canned pumpkin has a higher percentage of fiber than fresh pumpkin (2.9% vs. .5%).

Why might too much pumpkin might be bad for your dog?

I have a surprise for you in this section.

It is not just by saying that too much pumpkin might harm your dog.

It states that your dog might overdose on vitamin A if you feed him too much pumpkin.

Why do not you believe me eh?

Take a look at the chart below.

In the chart below you can see the main vitamins found in fresh and canned pumpkins.

I only want us to focus on vitamin A and beta carotene.

A dogs daily value column indicates how much vitamin he should get from every 100 grams of food he eats. 

As far as vitamin A is concerned it should be 333 IU.

I do not think you need to worry too much about what an IU is because its just a measurement unit.

Fresh pumpkin has a concentration of vitamin A seventeen times higher than the daily value (500 vs. 8513).

However the canned pumpkin contains 31 times the recommended amount of sodium (500 versus 15563).

The body of a dog depends heavily on vitamin A – much of its energy is spent maintaining healthy eyesight. 

Vitamin A poisoning

In terms of vitamin A however there is too much of a good thing.

Vitamin A toxicity occurs when a dog ingests too much vitamin A causing the dog to become poisoned. 

The majority of the cases I have read about (such as here and here) concern dogs who have eaten too much fish oil or too much liver such as the raw chicken liver. 

There are no reports of dogs eating too much pumpkin causing poisoning!

To poison a dog with vitamin A the dog would have to consume an incredible quantity- even by a pumpkins standards.

When a dog consumes 333000 IU/ kg (33.3 IU/ kg) or more of vitamin A it becomes dangerous to them.

The amount of vitamin A in a can of pumpkin is more than double this amount. 

Basically I just wanted to let you know that pumpkin contains a lot of vitamin A and that you should take that into account when calculating how much to feed your animals. 

Should I feed my dog raw or cooked pumpkin?

I want to explore this vexed question in a bit more detail before I discuss what is the best amount of pumpkin to feed to your dog.

It appears that many people are asking this question.

Here is a comparison between raw and cooked foods. 

If you think that I could have just added the data for the cooked pumpkin to my first chart you’re right.

Nevertheless the chart would have been more difficult to read on a small screen such as your smartphone.

There are fewer calories carbs and sugars in cooked pumpkins.

However it has about twice as much fiber. 

Lets talk about vitamins now.

Cooking pumpkin robs it off about a third of its vitamin A (8513 IU as opposed to 5755 IU) as well as beta carotene (3100 mcg as opposed to 2096 mcg).

Is it better to feed your dog raw or cooked pumpkin?

When it comes to choosing between the two forms of pumpkin I would opt for cooked pumpkin because it contains a lower level of vitamin A. 

Now that we have examined a lot of nutrition information its time to scratch our heads and figure out how much pumpkin we should feed our dogs and how often? 

Can I give my dog a pumpkin every day?

There is no doubt that dog owners want an answer to this question after Halloween and Thanksgiving have left their houses with an excess of pumpkins. 

Our first thought when we see leftovers is to feed them to our dogs!

Providing your dog with a lot of pumpkins every day for a few weeks or a month will not harm them long-term.

They do not need to be fed large amounts of food every day.

You can figure out how much to feed your dog each day by calculating how much they eat (in grams or kilograms) and feeding them 10% of that amount each day.

As a result I would only feed my dogs 50 grams of pumpkin per day if they eat 500 grams of food every day.

I’d give up after a month however. 

I would move on to another vegetable if I were you.

Be sure not to give any more pumpkins to your dog though!

How does pumpkin help with diarrhea?

Diarrhea is commonly treated with pumpkin as a home remedy.

In several ways it helps your dogs stomach recover.

With canned pumpkins you will have better results than with fresh pumpkins.

The primary reason for this is that canned pumpkin contains six times more fiber- which is why it cures diarrhea so well.

Stomach contents are bound together by fiber.

In addition pumpkin is by its very nature very bland and simple just like many fruits and vegetables.

The second important quality of pumpkin is the fact that it is rich in vitamins and minerals which diarrhea flushed from the body.

In addition the pumpkin is around 90% water which is another beneficial quality for preventing diarrhea.

During diarrhea the body loses water so pumpkin helps to replenish it!

How many pumpkins should I feed my dog with diarrhea?

According to the above guidelines I would follow them as well.

Give your dog the equivalent of 10% of their daily food amount in pumpkin.

You can either feed the pumpkin with a bit of their main food or just on its own depending on how severe the diarrhea is.

It is important to consult a vet if diarrhea continues for longer than a day due to the risk of dehydration. 

How fast does pumpkin work for dog diarrhea?

Within eight to twelve hours the pumpkin should be able to soothe diarrhea in most cases.

There are no miracle cures but rather you are seeking real improvement.

Hopefully your dogs poop will be more solid and the number of times he has to poop will dramatically decrease.

Amanda (Author)

With over a decade of experience, Amanda is a distinguished dog trainer. Her expertise in canine behavior has transformed countless lives, fostering harmonious human-canine connections. Through compassionate and personalized approaches, she empowers owners to understand and connect with their furry companions, creating a legacy of joyful tails and transformed lives.

Osvaldo Maciel (Content Reviewer)

Osvaldo Maciel, a stalwart in the field with 14 years of experience, is a revered dog trainer. His journey is defined by a profound understanding of canine behavior, shaping unbreakable human-canine bonds. Osvaldo guides owners to connect with their beloved pets, leaving an indelible mark of happiness and transformation. His legacy shines through the countless lives he has touched.