A HAMPSHIRE pet owner is warning fellow dog walkers to take care after her dog nearly died from poisoning after a walk in nearby fields.

Claire King’s dog Pip is lucky to be alive after her owner believes she ate something while walking in Hatch Grange, West End – a popular area for dog walking.

She had only just got back from her walk when 10 minutes later she began frothing at the mouth, her legs gave way and she collapsed on the floor.

By the time Claire, of High Street, West End, had rushed her to the vets her liver had failed which caused hypothermia and Claire was told to expect the worst.

A vet from Vets4Pets surgery in Bitterne confirmed to the Daily Echo that Pip had most likely been poisoned.

Luckily, the 18-month-old chihuahua cross Jack Russell was put on an intravenous drip to flush out her system and has since made a full recovery.

Claire, who works in accounts for an electrical wholesaler, said vets were not able to determine what she had been poisoned with and cannot tell whether it was a chemical-type poison or a natural poison like mushrooms.

She says that Pip, who loves to scavenge on walks, had not yet eaten any food that morning or when she came back and it happened within 10 minutes after the walk so she thinks it must have happened at Hatch Grange.

Claire is now faced with an £800 bill that she is not sure her insurance will pay out as she is only covered for accidents.

Since the incident Claire, who also has a Staffordshire bull terrier, has been keeping both dogs on leads when on walks and has not been back to Hatch Grange.

She wants to warn other dog walkers of the risk, but also get something done to sort out the problem.

“I was absolutely traumatised. You take your dog for a walk and you don't expect that,” said the 27-year-old.

“Within half an hour she was so critical that she nearly died. Once the poison hit her blood stream her organs started shutting down.”

A spokesman for West End Parish Council, which owns and is responsible for Hatch Grange, said: “West End Parish Council Office were not aware of this incident prior to contact from the Daily Echo.

“It is the policy of West End Parish Council not to use any form of poison or chemical on Hatch Grange.”