A dog almost blinded and left fighting for life after chewing a disinfectant bottle has made a miraculous recovery.

Jack Russell cross Ruby briefly got her paws on the bottle and a small amount splashed in her face.

When owner Gary James, 44, from Poole, Dorset, saw what happened he immediately washed her face with water and she seemed unaffected.

But the following morning Mr James awoke to find the 11-year-old dog struggling to breathe and she was in a very bad way.

He rushed Ruby to Bournemouth PDSA Pet Hospital where she was admitted for emergency treatment.

PDSA vet Emily Sharp said: "Ruby was in a critical condition. Her tongue was very swollen, she was foaming at the mouth and severely dehydrated. She was put on a drip and given pain relief.

"We monitored her closely. At this stage, there were no signs of chemical burns - it was unclear what was causing the problem.

"But 12 hours later, a discharge around her eyes, nose and mouth started to appear. Further tests revealed both eyes were severely ulcerated as both corneas had suffered chemical burns.

"The skin around her nose and mouth was inflamed, which we then attributed to the household detergent she came into contact with the previous day."

Now vets were battling to save not only Ruby's sight but also her life.

She was not eating due to the swelling and pain in her mouth, so was getting weaker by the day. She could not lubricate her eyes so antibiotics and drops were administered around the clock, day and night, in a bid to prevent her from going blind.

Ms Sharp said: "Ruby's condition was so severe that we had to consider whether it would be kindest to put her to sleep.

"She is a much-loved family pet, and her quality of life is the most important thing.

"But due to the intensive care and treatment she received, Ruby started eating and the swelling began to go down."

After five days at the pet hospital, Ruby was allowed home.

Mr James continued her recuperation by putting the drops in her eyes and continuing her medication.

"Ruby has been part of our family since she was six months old and my children love her to bits," he said.

"Obviously we keep harmful things out of her reach but on this one occasion she came across a disinfectant bottle and bit into it. It was quite out of character but shows you just can't be too careful.

"I washed her face, and everything seemed fine. But the next morning I was so shocked when I saw her. We were all devastated when we thought we were going to lose her.

"I'm so grateful to PDSA for saving Ruby's life, I don't know what we would have done without them. I can't thank them enough."

Ms Sharp added: "Ruby had a lucky escape from a horrific ordeal. It highlights that there are many hidden dangers in our homes that can harm our pets.

"I'd urge all pet owners to ensure chemicals are well out of reach of prying paws. Speak to your vet if you're worried they may have come into contact with something potentially unsafe."

Ruby's treatment cost PDSA over £500, and was only possible due to donations the charity receives.