# pumpkin



## trudy (Aug 25, 2008)

So I am going to carve my pumpkins and wonder if the dogs can eat the pumpkin raw and uncooked, also will they? They love it when I add canned pumpkin to their food, and so I thought I could just hand them chunks but am unsure if they can digest it. Has anyone done this? Does it hurt them adn should I only give them the insides, I kinda thought I'd let them have the whole pumpkin after halloween, let them tear it apart


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

Good Question... I'll be waiting for answers too.


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## dOg (Jan 23, 2006)

They give them to the wolves @ wolfpark every year...
that said, they aren't inside. I too give the canned, but just a dollup
and water on the kibble.

So I doubt there would be any ill affects,except perhaps some loose stool if anything, or some extra gas.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

My dogs eat the chunks.


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: trudy I kinda thought I'd let them have the whole pumpkin after halloween, let them tear it apart


I'd be afraid to do this, though. I would think the pumpkin would start to rot, at least a little, and I wouldn't want to give my dog food that has been sitting outside rotting.


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

They can eat it, but as a general rule, dogs don't break down and absorb nutrients from veggies that haven't been processed in some way. You need to pulverize them in a food processor, steam or boil them a bit, or otherwise process them, like canned pumpkin is cooked.

You'll be able to tell because raw unprocessed veggies (and fruits) that go in pretty much come out looking the same way.







My Meri loves raw tomato and Celo loves raw banana, but I don't expect them to get any nutritional benefit from these. They're just treats. 

As Emily points out, Jack o Lanterns are usually pretty moldy after Halloween. I wouldn't risk giving one of these to my dogs, as it could make them sick. 

As for giving them a fresh pumpkin, I imagine my kids would play around with the pieces, but as much as they love their veggies with dinner, they're not going to fill up on chunks of pumpkin when they get raw meat at mealtime. I'd just be left with hunks of sticky stringy orange goo to clean up.


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