Dog left to starve by owner was 'most emaciated' vet with 30 years’ experience had ever seen

• Fly, 15-year-old lurcher, had lost half of body weight due to starvation
• Her condition was so bad vets had no choice but to put her down
• She also had a tumour, diabetes and an abscess when found by RSPCA
• Her owner, David Lowe, 33, has been found guilty of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal
• Lowe was described in court as 'vulnerable' and as suffering from PTSD

A neglected dog has been put down by a vet who described it as suffering with the worst case of starvation he had ever seen.
Fly, a 15-year-old lurcher, lost half her body weight, down to only 8.1kg, and shocked vets with her horrendous condition.
The dog's owner, David Lowe, 33, was summoned to appear at Bolton Magistrates' Court, to face charges of animal cruelty, on February 24, but failed to turn up.
However, the case was proved in his absence and he was convicted of five counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal in October 2013. His sentencing, held yesterday, has been postponed while further reports are put together for the court.
Warning: Graphic content

Vets and RSPCA workers described Fly as suffering with the worst case of starvation they had ever seen

Fly, left, was so starved vets had to put her down. Her owner, David Lowe, has been described as 'vulnerable'

The dog was discovered by the RSPCA at Lowe's Farnworth home in October 2013 after a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.
When Fly was found, she was suffering from an abscess in its mouth, overgrown nails, a severe dental disease and had discharge oozing from a sinus beneath its eye.
Vets later found that Fly also had a mammary tumour and was diabetic.

 

The RSPCA took custody of Fly that same day but, after examination, vets decided the most humane course of action was to put the dog down.
RSPCA inspector Vicki McDonald said: "Fly was the thinnest dog I or the vet had ever seen.
'She was in such a terrible state, with so many issues, that the vet took the difficult decision to put her to sleep there and then. Of course we would have loved her to have recovered, but this was the kindest thing to do.
'At 15 years old she was an elderly dog but she was not in this condition because of her age, she was in this condition because she had been badly neglected.'
The court heard how Lowe had been given £20 to take the dog to the vets for treatment but failed to do so, fearing she would be put down.
The dog could have been 'easily treated' if help had been sought earlier, the court heard, but she was put down after being found in a 'severely emaciated condition'.

Fly could have been 'easily treated' if taken to a vet sooner but had deteriorated so much nothing could be done

Fly had been starved down to weighing only 8.1kg, half of what a healthy 15-year-old lurcher should weigh

When the RSPCA found Fly in October 2013, she was suffering from a number of problems, including an abscess in her mouth, overgrown nails, dental disease, a sinus beneath her eye, left, diabetes and a tumour

Tony Stock, prosecuting, said: 'Angus McKenzie, a vet with more than 30 years’ experience, said this was one of the most severely emaciated dogs - dead or alive - he had seen in 30 years.

'The dog weighed 8.1kg - less than half its ideal weight - and scored zero in a body condition scale where one is emaciated and five is grossly obese.'
Adam Whittaker, defending, said Lowe had been homeless for four years and his ex-partner was caring for the dog until returning it to him last year.

Lowe was, who Mr Whittaker described as 'highly vulnerable', was said to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder following an explosion in Raikes Lane, Burnden.
Magistrates decided to adjourn sentencing until April 16 to allow a report to be prepared.