Many of you will be having BBQ’s this weekend and savouring that last bank holiday before Christmas. I know that every time there is a Bank Holiday I pray for some sun and hope that I can make the most of it with a few drinks and some good food. IAMS have done some research and found that one in five British Bank Holiday BBQ’s are expected to have pets as guests. For me this is certainly true as I own a cat, he is often hovering in the garden when the BBQ gets started. You’ll also find that Bank Holiday BBQ drinking sessions can start early so guests may also bring their dogs with them to save them being at home all day alone.
We decided to have a BBQ, courtesy of some food from M&S, they have a great BBQ range. IAMS survey of 2000 UK pet owners reveals that the smell of sizzling sausages will have 50% of pets licking their lips and 30% of pet owners will give their pets some food from their BBQ. Being a pet owner I know how easy it is to slip them a little treat from the plate however in the long term this can have damaging health implications such as increasing the risk of heart problems. Hearing this made me really think about how I treat my pets.
IAMS survey also revealed that almost a third of pets are given food at a BBQ. According to IAMS Nutrition Expert and Veterinary Training Manager, Kellie Ceccarelli, although our pets love to eat whatever they can get their paws on, we need to be careful to ensure they remain as happy and healthy as possible: “It’s important to understand what your pet needs to be happy and healthy. A diet rich in high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, will help in maintaining optimal overall health for your pet, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.”
Instead of giving your pet a sneaky sausage, why not let them have something that is made for them such as the IAMS Proactive Health. This contains high levels of protein in every bowl keeping them fuller for longer and hopefully away from the BBQ food! Chicken and turkey protein is the number one ingredient in IAMS Proactive Health which give cats 47% more animal proteins and dogs 24% more than the top two leading brands. If you haven’t heard of IAMS before, it is an advanced nutrition pet food brand that uses quality ingredients to provide great food that your dog or cat will love. I can vouch for this, whenever my pets eat IAMS it barely touches the sides!!
Kellie also reveals the top BBQ foods to keep those pets paws away from: (*Information provided by IAMS).
1. Chicken wings and drumsticks
Cats and dogs love the smell of chicken, but anything with bones runs the risk of splintering and causing intestinal obstruction. Look for a pet food that has high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, as the number one ingredient. IAMS contains 47% more animal proteins for cats and 24% more protein for dogs than the top two leading brands.
2. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are unhealthy and contain high amounts of preservatives and salt which can cause diarrhoea and digestive problems for pets.
Feed your pet a 100% complete diet to help maintain optimal overall health, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.
3. Corn on the Cob
Whilst this isn’t toxic for pets, the shape alone could cause choking and obstruction so avoid letting your pet sneak a lick of your buttered cob.
4. Onions
Big plate of sliced onions awaiting burgers? Keep them away from the dogs. All close members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, and the like) contain compounds that can harm your pooch’s red blood cells if sufficiently ingested.
5. Alcohol
Both dogs and cats are uniquely sensitive to alcoholic beverages, but may not shy away from lapping up an abandoned drink. Even just a few ounces of beer or wine can be poisonous to a dog or cat so be careful leaving drinks in pet’s reach.
Will you be having a bank holiday BBQ with your pets? I hope you’ll be bearing in mind this information. To find out more, visit the IAMS website.
IAMS survey also revealed that almost a third of pets are given food at a BBQ. According to IAMS Nutrition Expert and Veterinary Training Manager, Kellie Ceccarelli, although our pets love to eat whatever they can get their paws on, we need to be careful to ensure they remain as happy and healthy as possible: “It’s important to understand what your pet needs to be happy and healthy. A diet rich in high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, will help in maintaining optimal overall health for your pet, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.”
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| Photo provided by IAMS |
Instead of giving your pet a sneaky sausage, why not let them have something that is made for them such as the IAMS Proactive Health. This contains high levels of protein in every bowl keeping them fuller for longer and hopefully away from the BBQ food! Chicken and turkey protein is the number one ingredient in IAMS Proactive Health which give cats 47% more animal proteins and dogs 24% more than the top two leading brands. If you haven’t heard of IAMS before, it is an advanced nutrition pet food brand that uses quality ingredients to provide great food that your dog or cat will love. I can vouch for this, whenever my pets eat IAMS it barely touches the sides!!
Kellie also reveals the top BBQ foods to keep those pets paws away from: (*Information provided by IAMS).
1. Chicken wings and drumsticks
Cats and dogs love the smell of chicken, but anything with bones runs the risk of splintering and causing intestinal obstruction. Look for a pet food that has high quality animal proteins, such as chicken and turkey, as the number one ingredient. IAMS contains 47% more animal proteins for cats and 24% more protein for dogs than the top two leading brands.
2. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs are unhealthy and contain high amounts of preservatives and salt which can cause diarrhoea and digestive problems for pets.
Feed your pet a 100% complete diet to help maintain optimal overall health, supporting a strong immune system, healthy skin and a shiny coat.
3. Corn on the Cob
Whilst this isn’t toxic for pets, the shape alone could cause choking and obstruction so avoid letting your pet sneak a lick of your buttered cob.
4. Onions
Big plate of sliced onions awaiting burgers? Keep them away from the dogs. All close members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, and the like) contain compounds that can harm your pooch’s red blood cells if sufficiently ingested.
5. Alcohol
Both dogs and cats are uniquely sensitive to alcoholic beverages, but may not shy away from lapping up an abandoned drink. Even just a few ounces of beer or wine can be poisonous to a dog or cat so be careful leaving drinks in pet’s reach.
Will you be having a bank holiday BBQ with your pets? I hope you’ll be bearing in mind this information. To find out more, visit the IAMS website.
*I received some items free of charge in exchange for this blog post. All opinions are my own and I was not influenced in any way. Information retrieved from IAMS.
