BBQ tips for pets

With the summer months nearly upon us our team of Registered Vet Nurses from the Purely Pets Vet Helpline offer these top tips for BBQ season. 

Top tips for warmer weather: 

• Make sure there is adequate water to drink

• Provide adequate ventilation

• Avoid exercising dogs in the heat of the day – walk your dog in the morning and late evening

• Be aware of how hot the pavement is – if it feels hot for you to touch then it could be painful for your dog to walk on

• Watch out for early signs of heat-stroke – heavy panting, restlessness and lack of coordination

• If any heat related condition is suspected, pet’s should be taken to a cool place, given water to drink whilst seeking advice 

• Make sure flea and tick treatments are up to date – parasites love the warmer weather! 

• Don’t let your dog rest in direct sunlight – this includes inside conservatories, in front of windows, outside and NEVER in a car.

If you need any advice on this, then contact one of our Registered Veterinary Nurses via the 24 Hour Vet Helpline.

Barbecues are popular over the summer months and enjoyable for all the family. However, we need to be aware of the dangers to pets. 

Top tips for BBQ safety: 

• Politely ask your guests not to feed your pets. Greasy burgers, sausages etc. could cause digestive upsets and more serious conditions.

• Barbecue food also gets very hot so keep a close eye on your pet in case they get tempted to jump up and snatch a sausage or burger straight from the barbecue. They can also cause harm to themselves from the barbecue itself.

• Keep rubbish in a secure container or move bags out of reach to prevent pets from eating scraps or bad food. 

• Corn on the cob’s can be particularly dangerous – especially when they are swallowed whole as they do not digest and can cause major problems, which may require surgery to remove

• Cooked chicken bones, if ingested, can be fatal as the bone will shard and cause injury as it tried to travel through the digestive tract.

• Kebab skewers are also a known danger at BBQ’s, if ingested they can pierce and cause real issues very quickly.