A woman has been left heartbroken after having to put her dog down when the shock of a firework display left her pet paralysed, constipated and refusing to eat.

Carris Clayton, who lives in Halfway on Sheppey had to make the decision to euthanise five-year-old Lyssa after she suffered a stress-induced stroke.

The 25-year-old had been using a prescription of Loxicom during October and November to keep both Lyssa and her other dog, Toby, calm during fireworks displays.

However, at around 7.50pm on Saturday, November 9, an unexpected display in her neighbourhood saw the Romanian rescue – known as Rommies as their breeds are often unknown – become a “mess”.

The next morning Lyssa, who has been part of the Clayton family for around four years, was struggling to move and was not eating or going to the toilet.

Carris and her mum, Karen Clayton, took her to Mote Park Vets in Maidstone at 11.30am the following day.

They carried out basic tests on Lyssa, including shining a light in the dog's eyes.

Her pupil did not retract which led the vet to conclude she had suffered from a stress-induced stroke as the pup was otherwise healthy.

She was given an injection of steroids and antibiotics to reduce the swelling of the brain and was taken home.

But by Monday morning, Lyssa had lost all ability to walk and during an 8.30am appointment at Kingsferry Vets, Carris and Karen decided to put her down after the vet suggested it was the kindest thing to do.

The care worker says she was “heartbroken” at having to make the decision.

She said: “I thought, she was going to survive as she's super strong. She was left to starve by her former owners when she was just a puppy.

“I started looking for wheelchairs for her because I thought I could deal with a paralysed dog.

“But that didn’t become the reality. A part of me couldn't believe it. I still thought she was just asleep and the vet was going to make her better even after she passed.

“I held on to that but I also felt empty. My mum is also heartbroken as Lyssa was her shadow and followed her everywhere.

“I miss her being a chatty dog. When someone would call to say dinner was ready she came and let everyone know, but on Tuesday night no one came to get us.”

She added that Toby, who is also a five-year-old Rommie and was left in a tied-up bag as a puppy, has changed his behaviour since Lyssa was put down.

“He’s been left broken by it,” Carris says. “He keeps looking around the house for her. His ears are droopy and his tail's tucked between his legs.

“He doesn't follow us around as much anymore and we have to call him. He stuck to us before.”

As part of her grieving process, Carris started a petition to stop the sale of fireworks to members of the public.

She said: “It's always been something I believed in but now it's personal to me so I'm fighting for a change. I was angry and I wanted to do something to try and help so she doesn’t die in vain.

“I don’t want to take away people’s joy but why can’t we just have regulated firework displays which all pet owners can prepare for.”

To view the petition, which has more than 540 signatures, click here.

It is not the first time pet and animal owners have called for change.

Founder of Curly's Farm on Sheppey, Kyle Ratcliffe, previously told KentOnline that there should be greater use of silent fireworks.

The 46-year-old said in October 2022 that his sheep get spooked by the loud bangs which cause pregnant ewes to abort their lambs.

This month a petition calling for tighter regulations on fireworks with one million signatures, which was backed by the RSPCA, was handed into Downing Street.