The summer season of parties and barbeques can be a fun and festive period for both owners and dogs. Who doesn't enjoy a sausage from the barbie and a nice cold beer? Unfortunately for our furry friends, there are some hidden pitfalls in that Sunday afternoon lunch.

In hot weather we should all be aware of the risk of heat stress in dogs, especially in brachicephalic breeds (those breeds with a squashed in nose). These dogs are just not built to be able to effectively cool down by panting and this is worse in humid weather. These dogs should never be taken out for a walk in hot, humid weather. All dogs, but especially these breeds are better walked in the cool of the morning or late evening. The beach may seem a great place to go to cool down, but some dogs find swimming difficult and out of the water, the hot flat sand offers no respite from the summer sun. Some ball-mad dogs will chase their ball to the point of (or past) exhaustion, the drive to chase over-riding the sense to keep still. If you notice your dog panting excessively and looking quite distressed, unable to rest, please call your vet, your dog may need urgent medical attention.

It is very hard to resist those wet, brown eyes at the side of the barbeque, just begging for one to roll off the hot plate. But remember the relative size of your little Shih Tzu in relation to that hamburger. It could be the equivalent of you eating a patty weighing lkg! An overindulgence of a fatty meal like that can cause, not only stomach upsets but serious diseases that can kill your dog. Pancreatitis is an acute inflammation of the pancreas, often started by fatty meals. This disease causes vomiting, fever and lack of appetite and if not treated, can prove fatal in some dogs. Please feed only a tiny scrap to the dog, it is all he needs.

Watch also the left over barbequed. Garlic and onions are toxic to dogs and in enough quantities can produce toxic signs. This may only be as much as half of a medium onion for a typical 20kg dog. Another toxicity seen at Christmas (and Easter) is chocolate toxicity. If a dog gets into a chocolate stash (particularly dark or cooking chocolate) he may suffer from toxic signs ranging from restlessness to heart failure and seizures.

"Should I feed my dog bones?" is a common question asked at the vet clinic. Fresh, raw meaty bones, appropriate for the size of the dog are the natural way to maintain dental hygiene in dogs. They must not have a lot of fat on them (again can cause pancreatitis), they must be nice and fresh and they must be raw. Cooked bones splinter when chewed and enter the stomach where they can puncture the stomach wall or get stuck half way along. This can mean urgent life-saving surgery is required for your dog. Cutting a marrow bone long ways to expose the marrow is a good way to make your dog fat and dogs can chip their teeth on the hollow shaft. Better to cut in half shortways and give your dog hours of entertainment chewing the knuckle end (better for their teeth). Some dogs will still swallow large chunks of bone and then vomit or become constipated. Such dogs might be better not fed bones and other ways of keeping teeth clean should be investigated.

Summer can be a fun time for dogs and owners, but remember, everything in moderation! Is that a message for the dog or for me?