Squash and pumpkin

Squash and pumpkin are vegetables used in small amounts in some foods and as an occasional digestive aid, valued mainly for their supply of fibre (both soluble and insoluble) and their high water content. Cooked pumpkin is a popular home remedy for regulating transit, and it can help in two opposite situations: with loose stools it adds consistency, and with mild constipation it can ease passage (veterinary literature). This use is empirical and useful as an add-on, but it does not replace identifying the cause of a persistent digestive disorder, which warrants veterinary advice. Pumpkin also supplies beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor in dogs, and minerals such as potassium, with a low calorie density that makes it handy for adding volume with little energy, for instance in a satiety strategy for weight control (USDA FoodData Central). One safety point: plain cooked pumpkin should be used, never a sweetened or spiced preparation intended for people. The marker: pumpkin and squash are sources of fibre and water useful as a digestive add-on, to be dosed moderately and kept distinct from sweetened human preparations. They work in the same supporting register as [psyllium](/glossary/psyllium) for transit and [carrot](/glossary/carrot) as a low-calorie extra. Track the effect on a [fecal score](/glossary/fecal-score) to judge whether they help.

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