Lauki is a type of pumpkin, characterized by its elongated shape, it is also known as bottle guard, calabash gourd, doodhi, ghiya, among others.
This food is famous among people who want to lose weight or take care of their blood sugar levels because being a fiber produces satiety but is very low in calories, it is very famous in India to take it as a medicinal juice, for controlling diabetes mellitus, hypertension, liver diseases, weight loss, and other diseases.
But is it beneficial and safe for our dogs?
The answer to this question is variable, that’s why we define it as moderately safe food, read on to understand the reasons.
Benefits
Lauki has been evaluated for pharmacological activities, such as:
- Anxiolytic
- Antidepressant
- Antihyperlipidemic
- Antiparasitic
- Antihyperglycemic
- Antiulcerous,
- Immunomodulator
It is known that it can generate these effects, but it has not been studied much about this either, and that happens because intoxication with lauki has also been reported in humans and dogs.
Then, can I give it to my dog?
The answer is yes, but keep in mind the following.
Risks
Lauki contains toxic compounds called cucurbitacins, which are blamed for causing rapid onset diarrhea, vomiting, gastrointestinal bleeding, and hypotension.
However, there have also been studies in dogs where cucurbitacins have not shown toxicity.
Therefore, we recommend you give your dog this food in moderation and discontinue it immediately if you see effects like those mentioned above.
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