A DOG was left with a serious serious skin infection after its owner failed to take it to the vets, a court heard.

Hayley Lancaster, of Skelwith Avenue, Great Lever, has been found guilty of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

Pom, her seven-year-old tan Pomeranian dog, needed surgery after a neighbour found it covered in a skin disease caused by skin mites.

The dog also had an infection.

Lancaster did not attend Bolton Magistrates Court yesterday but chairman of the bench, Lindsey Charidemou, proved the case in her absence.

Prosecutor Tony Stock said Lancaster caused the suffering by not taking the dog to the vet when it had a skin infection.

He added: “At 11.45am on August 28, RSPCA Insp Caroline Hall was asked to attend a destitute animal shelter in Bolton.

The dog was handed in as a stray.

The dog had extensive wounds.

In fairness the defendant quickly came forward. The dog had been handed in by a neighbour.

“Vet Sean Taylor examined the dog during the afternoon. The dog was found to have chronic skin changes associated with long-term skin disease. It had extensive scabbiness and its skin was inflamed. The dog was hospitalised overnight and needed surgery. ”

Mr Stock said the infection was secondary to the mites, which were thought to have been on the dog for several weeks.

“The vet’s professional opinion was the dog had been caused to suffer unnecessarily by the owner’s failure to seek veterinary treatment for two weeks, possibly longer,” he added.

The court heard Lancaster, aged 23, claimed she was going to take Pom to the vets the day the animal was handed into the RSPCA after realising the treatment she was using for the condition was not working.

Lancaster was said to have researched the condition herself after treatment she had been given for the animal was not working.

She will be sentenced on Thursday, February 9.

Pom remains in the care of the RSPCA and is said to be making a good recovery.