A "healthy, happy" puppy died after being "eaten from the inside out" by rat poison it is believed she ingested during her daily walk.
Described by the vet who tried to save her as the worst case of poisoning he'd ever seen, the American Pit Bull and Patterdale Terrier mix called Sasha was left bleeding from the eyes and rectum along with vomiting a "thick white foam".
Her family have since warned other dog walkers to be vigilant and make sure their pets don't eat anything they shouldn't.
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Sasha belonged to Chloe Smith, 22, from Ellesmere Port, who would take her out each day with her two children – three-year-old Malaya and five-month-old James.
She said that the normally "happy, healthy, and protective" animal hadn't been acting out of the ordinary either during or after her last walk and had even been playing on the floor with her daughter.
But she soon started to notice something wasn't right when Sasha began getting lethargic and took to sleeping more in the daytime.
"The next day she didn't touch her food or drink and wouldn't even acknowledge the children," Chloe told CheshireLive.
"And within 24 hours of that she began vomiting a thick white foam-like liquid and started hiding away from us all."
They then took Sasha to the vet, which is when she started bleeding from her eyes and rear.
"We had no idea it was all going to spiral out of control," said Chloe. "Sasha was being eaten from the inside out and couldn't even stand on her paws.
"She looked like she was enduring absolute torture and had been poisoned with a heavy dose of rat poison to the point her intestines were coming out with her sick."
Chloe added that the family had no other choice but to have Sasha put to sleep.
"The vets did all they could but it was the worst case of poisoning they had ever seen.
"Some selfish act of human stupidity has cost the life of our family pet, which was really only just starting.
"This has caused such heartache in our home. My daughter still wonders why the doctors won't give Sasha back.
"I just want other dog owners to be aware – especially when their pets are off the lead – and to seek medical attention as soon as they see anything out of the ordinary.
"I would hate this to happen to another animal or, worse still, someone's child."
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