Pet care: Foods you should avoid giving your pets this summer

Intense heatwave has already gripped many parts of the country and much like us humans our furry friends too experience discomfort in the hot summer months. Pet owners must watch out for signs of dehydration like dry nose, panting, lethargy, sunken eyes among others as the mercury goes up. While physical activity and walks are must for dogs, an appropriate timing - early morning or late evening - should be kept in mind while taking them outside in order to prevent them from heatstroke or sunburn. (Also read: Pet care: Are you making these common mistakes with your pet?)

A change in diet is also recommended for our pets in summer season and more cooling foods and those rich in probiotic should be given to them. Watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, curd, buttermilk are some of the summer-friendly foods that will help your pet avoid digestive troubles as well as heat-related illnesses. It is also important to know the foods that will create trouble for your pets and must be avoided to beat the heat.

Dr. Dilip Sonune, Director, Veterinary Services at Wiggles.in, suggests foods that pet parents should steer clear of for overall well-being of their furry babies.

Mutton and lamb

Chicken and turkey are white meats and cooling for pets as compared to red meat like mutton and lamb. Most pet diets include chicken as the main protein ingredient. Pet parents can go for wet food for pets which is nutritionally balanced and vet-approved and is not too heated for pets.

Goat, Venison and oily fish

Meats like venison and oily fish like tuna should be avoided during summers. They are warm in nature and make for good foods in the winters but not the summers. In addition to that, anchovy and pheasant should be avoided too. If your pets have lost their appetite you may want to consider using cooling proteins like duck and freshwater fish like Rohu and White Fish.

Oats, jowar

Some grains like oats, jowar and ragi are warmer in nature and hence should be avoided. Go for grains like barley, buckwheat and wheat instead as they are considered to be cooling grains.

Vegetables

Vegetables like squash and sweet potatoes should be avoided as well. You can add washed and boiled vegetables like carrots and broccoli to your pet’s diet instead.

“Avoid meats like mutton, lamb in summers for your pets, if you have to give chicken, you can switch to wet food or oven-baked kibble which has balanced nutrients. During the warmer months, it is advisable to add cooling foods and probiotic-rich foods like curd and buttermilk to their diet or you can even go for probiotic strips for pets to maintain gut health," says Dr Sonune.