Can dogs eat sausage rolls and meat pies?

Puff and shortcrust pastry are made with a lot of butter or vegetable fat. A standard sausage roll can carry 250 to 300 calories, and a large meat pie 450 to 600. For a medium dog, a whole pie can equal a full day's energy, delivered mostly as fat.

Fatty meals like this are a common cause of vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis.

Steak and onion pies and Cornish pasties contain onion, and many sausage meat recipes include onion, sage, or garlic. Chicken and mushroom pies usually have creamy sauces with onion or garlic. Pork pies are salty, and the jelly layer is concentrated stock.

Read the label on shop-bought pastries to see whether onion or garlic is listed.

Pies are often baked and sold in foil trays that smell of meat. Dogs will chew and swallow pieces, which can cause blockages or cuts. Pie fillings also stay very hot long after the crust feels cool, and a dog that grabs a pie from the oven tray can burn its mouth.

Let pies cool out of reach and bin foil trays in a closed outdoor bin.

Party buffets and picnic blankets place sausage rolls right at dog height. Put platters on a table, keep an eye on children who like to share, and bring a pocketful of dog treats so your dog has its own reward during the event.