A vet has warned of the dangers of festive food after a dog was left fighting for its life following a chocolate binge.

The American bulldog was taken to Edgewood vets in Purleigh after eating two 100g bars of Greene and Black's dark chocolate and one 100g bar of milk chocolate last Friday.

Fortunately the dog survived.

Jürgen Theinert, of the Edgewood Veterinary Group, said: “The darker the chocolate, the worse it is and the less the dog has to eat before they are poisoned.

“When they brought the dog in, it was made to vomit and put on intravenous fluids.”

Among the other dangerous foods for animals are artificial sweeter, Christmas pudding, raisins, grapes, paracetamol, Macadamia nuts and de-icer.

Mr Theinert also warned about the dangers of using tinsel on the tree.

He said: “Watch out for tinselitis in cats because they tend to eat it.

“The intestines can’t pass this and wrap themselves up around it and it basically chain saws through the intestinal wall and can cause death.”