Tess Daly has opened up about her children’s heartache after the loss of their family dog.
The Strictly Come Dancing host and her loved ones lost their Labrador Sam after he suffered from disease lungworm.
And now Tess has revealed her daughters Amber and Phoebe are heartbroken in a touching video.
She said: “He was the first dog I’ve ever owned, I’d longed for one throughout my childhood. Sam was the long-awaited gift.
“Our little girl just doted on him, they were best friends.”
Tess and her television presenter husband Vernon Kay first noticed their pet was ill when he went off his meals.
“We noticed he stopped eating his food,” said Tess. “Then he was breathless. The second week he struggled to stand. We tried everything we could to save him.”
Lungworm is carried by slugs and snails and can be passed to dogs if they swallow one or come into close contact with them.
Sam unfortunately had to be put down after a short battle with the illness.
Tess said: “It was a traumatic time. Had we known lungworm had existed, we’d have been able to treat him.”
She went on to urge other pet owners to keep a close eye on their animals in a bid to stop them experiencing tragedy.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry,” she said. “Take your dog to the vet and protect them. It’s devastating to lose an animal, they’re a member of the family.”
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