What could be better for a warm summer’s evening than an impromptu barbecue party? However, it is worth giving some thought to your pets in advance, or you may be making an emergency visit to your vet!

• Overindulging: who can resist those appealing eyes? But when there a whole party of generous people your pet may eat far too many titbits! 
• Unsuitable human food: onions and garlic are poisonous to pets, particularly cats, and so is chocolate and alcohol. Fatty food may cause pancreatitis.
• Burns: from the cooking surfaces or hot food when some opportunistic self-service is attempted.
  
• Keep rubbish well out of reach: bones, kebab sticks, silver foil, corn cobs may be swallowed in haste because they smell good, but then result in choking or intestinal obstruction.
  
• Fights between dogs: competition for treats and the general party atmosphere can cause friction between family members.
• Garden citronella candles: beware of flame risk and toxicity to inquisitive or clumsy pets.

What to do?

• If you are aware that your pet has suffered any of the above misfortunes, do give your vet a call for advice straight away. Prompt treatment gives the best chance of success – for example, retrieval of foreign bodies by endoscope, before they cause damage or obstruction, or in the case of poisoning, appropriate antidotes and fluid therapy.
• If your pet is unwell or has signs of sickness or loose bowel motions after the party, do get them checked out, they may have been up to mischief whilst your back was turned!