PDSA vets are warning pet owners about the dangers BBQ leftovers can have on pets.

The warning follows a dog needing emergency treatment to remove a chicken bone after it got wedged in its mouth.

Billy, a seven-year-old Jack Russell, found a chicken bone, which is thought to have been scavenged from a local BBQ, and tried to eat it. He was treated at a PDSA Pet Hospital after the incident.

PDSA vet Claire Roberts said: “Billy was in a great deal of pain when he arrived at the Pet Hospital, his mouth was so sore that he couldn’t be properly examined.

“The team had to sedate him so that the bone could be successfully removed and, luckily, there was no damage to his mouth or throat. X-rays of Billy’s stomach identified tiny bone fragments so his owner was advised to feed him bulky food to encourage their safe passage through his digestive system.

“Billy was extremely lucky that the bone in his mouth and the ones in his stomach didn’t cause any serious damage. It is cases such as this that highlight the importance of clearing away any debris, including skewers, bones, and litter, after enjoying a barbecue.

“What may be some harmless fun in the sun for us can easily have disastrous consequences for pets and wild animals.”