What You Need to Know About Pumpkin Spice and Your Pup
I stopped at Starbucks for a cup of coffee. Pumpkin and spice, pumpkin and spice, pumpkin and spice everywhere this time of year. Great. I hope you enjoy it. However, it’s not so great for your dogs.
Cinnamon
Now, cinnamon is really not that bad for your dogs in small amounts, but large amounts can cause stomach upset.
Nutmeg
This is the big one. Nutmeg. Nutmeg can be really harmful to your dogs. Nobody wants that. It can lead to symptoms like disorientation, a high heart rate, and even hallucinations in large quantities. It’s really dangerous. So, no nutmeg for your dog. For you, fine, but not for your dog. And it’s in so many pumpkin spice things, so please be careful.
Ginger
Ginger, obviously, is usually safe for your dog again, in small amounts. However, in large amounts, it can cause stomach issues as well.
Cloves
Cloves are like nutmeg; they can be toxic to dogs and should be totally avoided. So, no nutmeg, no cloves — out of the question.
Caffeine and Artificial Sweeteners
A lot of pumpkin spice coffee drinks have caffeine in them. What about the artificial sweeteners? If you use sweeteners like Xylitol, which can be really dangerous, even in small amounts, it can cause a drop in blood sugar and even weakness and seizures.
A lot of people are not talking about this, but I think it’s really important because, as I said, try to go somewhere now without seeing pumpkin and spice. You can’t!
Giving Pumpkin to Your Dog
Now, that being said, I give my dogs pumpkin a couple of times a week. Here’s the deal: it’s all natural, nothing added, plain pumpkin. Not the mix for pumpkin pies you buy in a can at the store. Nothing like that. Natural pumpkin, nothing else in it. It’s really good for your dog. It can help with the stomach and it can help with digestion and overall health.
So, giving your dog plain pumpkin is fine. Pumpkin spice, as I said, is good for you but not so much for your pets. I’m Warren Eckstein. Check out the YouTube channel: [youtube.com/WarrenEckstein](https://youtube.com/WarrenEckstein).