Is pumpkin good for dogs? What to know about whether your pup can eat the vegetable

Despite all the festive fun, Halloween can be a hectic time for families. As October comes to a close, many parents are trying to cram in costume prep, trick-or-treat planning and pumpkin carving into an already too-busy schedule.

And when you finally get the family to sit down and carve some pumpkins, things get even messier. Forget trying to corral everyone for a picture – you've got sticky pumpkin seeds and pulp to clean up off the floor!

But what if your dog gets to it first? Some human foods are safe for dogs (like carrots) while others, like chocolate, are toxic. Here’s what to know.

Can dogs eat pumpkin?

Yes! Pumpkin in its purest form is veterinarian-backed because it's a good source of fiber.

Try adding a tablespoon of canned pumpkin to your dog’s food twice a day if they have digestive issues, says veterinarian Diana Watkins, who owns 143 Veterinary Services in Massachusetts. It’s also rarely an allergen, so most dogs can tolerate it without problems.

“It is a pretty easy thing you can add to almost any dog’s diet if they’ve got a little bit of diarrhea just to see if it helps bulk up the stool,” she says.

Just make sure it’s regular canned pumpkin – not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and other ingredients that may not be safe for dogs. Don't feed your dog whole chunks of pumpkin, which take longer to break down and can cause even more digestive issues, Watkins says.

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Can dogs eat pumpkin seeds?

Don’t worry if your dog has gotten into your stash of pumpkin seeds – they aren’t toxic, Watkins says. But that doesn’t mean they should eat them, either.

“(Dogs) don’t break down the shells in pumpkin seeds very well,” Watkins says. “They usually just pass through the GI tract undigested.”

This means the seeds may cause an upset stomach, constipation or diarrhea if your dog eats too many. But in moderation, there's no real cause for concern.

Are pumpkin seeds good for dogs?

Pumpkin seeds have no nutritional benefit for dogs, Watkins says.

There’s a myth that pumpkin seeds act as a natural dewormer for dogs with parasites, but Watkins says that’s not the case.

“It doesn’t actually work,” Watkins says. “If your pet has worms … you really just need to go to the vet and get a de-wormer.”

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can dogs eat pumpkin? A guide for the vegetable and its seeds