There are a lot of great fresh things to eat in the summer and although I am all for fruits and veggies for dogs ( 10 % of the diet maximum), there are some summer foods that can cause problems.

Corn on the cob is one food I do not recommend for dogs. Dogs love this as it usually has butter and salt on it and they love to chew the cobs. The problem is that some dogs chew them up and others do not–they swallow large chunks of the corn cob. This can cause intestinal obstruction, a potentially fatal medical condition. In addition to this, some dogs are allergic to corn and it can result in vomiting, and severe diarrhea. So at your next BBQ,do not give your dog corn!

Other BBQ favourites that end up in dog’s stomachs are rib bones and shish kabob skewers. I once treated a patient, a small ShihTzu, who developed a lump on his side. A fine needle biopsy revealed the lump to be an abscess. When I took this dog to surgery, I removed an 8 inch BBQ skewer from the lump. The dog had swallowed the skewer the week before, it travelled through the stomach, into the abdominal cavity and was trying to work its way out through the dog’s side. I could not believe how dangerous these skewers could be. My patient was not the only one this had happened to. The veterinary literature has numerous reports of these skewers ending up in odd places, so be careful with BBQ skewers. Rib bones can cause similar problems so keep these away from your dog as well.

Fat from steak , fatty hotdogs and hamburgers can cause pancreatitis in dogs and cats. Pancreatitis also causes vomiting and diarrhea and can be fatal. Resist the urge to give fatty foods to your furry friend. Many times dogs and cats end up with these things because they surf through the garbage at the party while no one is looking. Be sure to keep your garbage well contained and somewhere that your pets can’t get it.

Your dog can enjoy foods of summer without the grief as long as their humans are very careful.