Saturday, October 20, 2007

In The Dog House

I got home today to discover our remaining pumpkins in the yard, partially consumed. Ranger was back to his old self last night...but tomorrow morning when he acts like he is dying I'll save my tears for the future.
It isn't until you start writing about a naughty dog that you realize how many phrases are influenced by canines..."In the Dog House," "Sick as a Dog," "Puppy Love" (not applicable but you get it). Why?

1 comment:

Jodi said...

That picture cracks me up - dead jack o lanterns lying all over the yard.....It got me curious so I looked this up. I found this online on an "Ask the Vet" type of site:

Dear Dr. Deb:
Halloween is here and we have five pumpkins we made into jack o’ lanterns. Our five year old Labrador Retriever is very interested in the pumpkins. He even carried one off! Is pumpkin OK for dogs to eat?


Answer:
Fall is my favorite time of year and I love pumpkins to decorate with and pumpkin pie to eat myself! Pumpkin can be a safe and tasty treat for your dog to eat, as long as you monitor your dog’s intake and make sure he doesn’t eat too much of it. Also, raw pumpkin is not ideal for his digestive system. It is difficult for a dog to digest and can cause blockages.


Pumpkin has many vitamins, especially vitamin A. It also has a great deal of fiber. For this reason, pumpkin may be added to a dog’s diet to help in weight loss and weight control. Buying plain canned pumpkin – not the pie filling - is an easy way to add fiber to your dog’s diet.



Check with your veterinarian for the right dose of pumpkin for your dog’s size. You don’t want to go overboard with the vitamin A, because it can be toxic to your dog in large doses. Depending on your dog’s size, you can add anywhere from one teaspoon to a whole cup of canned pumpkin to your dog’s regular diet. Dogs do like the taste and most of them will eat it plain. For dogs who are dieting, it also cuts down on the “sad eyes, starving dog” looks they give you as the fiber makes them feel full.

Along with helping with weight loss, the fiber in pumpkin can also be helpful if your dog has constipation or diarrhea. That sounds contradictory, but the fiber is actually beneficial for both problems.