A woman is warning fellow dog owners about "toxic starfish" after hundreds have washed up along the Merseyside coastline.
In a public Facebook post, Nina Grant said she wanted to make other owners aware of a number of starfish that had been brought up onto the sand at The Gunsite along the Wallasey coast after her dog became sick.
She said: "Hi all. Just a warning re the starfish that are washed up near the Gunsite.
"They're toxic to dogs. I had no idea and my Springer is now at the vets very ill after eating one. Please share with any dog owners that you know. Thanks."
She later updated people about her dog, she said: "Luckily she's home now after treatment and a large bill. She deteriorated so fast. If your dog does get one, get them to the vets quickly."
Broadway Vets in Wallasey confirmed they had seen cases of dogs who had swallowed starfish in recent days and said dogs have to be made to vomit after ingesting the substance.
The marine invertebrates are common in the UK and have been known to wash up en-masse, often dying within hours.
But they can be toxic to dogs if ingested causing weakness and paralysis.
This is because some contain paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) - a naturally occurring marine biotoxin - which, if ingested, can be deadly to dogs.
In January 2018, the Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (EIFCA) concluded it was "highly likely" two dog deaths were directly related to paralytic shellfish poisoning after eating fish that had washed up on beaches in Norfolk and Suffolk.
PSP is not toxic to humans.
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