PALM oil, which can be fatal to dogs, has washed up on a beach in Christchurch.

A large chunk of palm oil was found at Steamer Point beach on Friday, October 29.

This is the second incident along our stretch of coast in the last month, sparking concerns among the dog community who have taken to Facebook to warn of the potentially life-threatening dangers of palm oil.

Palm oil can get into the sea when it is legally released into the water by ships.

Whilst on the ships, and in the sea, palm oil can become contaminated with other waste products and because it is edible it can be attractive to some animals who can become ill after coming into contact with it.

One dog owner from Dog Friendly Dorset said: "Please be vigilant, my own dog picked up and ate some from Bournemouth Beach just before the first lockdown started, he was so very ill and had to have his stomach pumped twice.

"It was a few weeks before he even started getting back to his old self."

In most cases, consuming palm oil won't kill a dog, but it can make them very ill.

However, the oil can, in rare cases, be fatal for dogs.

As an oil-based product, palm oil can lead to a disease called Pancreatitis.

Consuming palm oil can result in sickness, diarrhoea and dehydration.

If you are concerned that your dog has consumed palm oil, contact your vet straight away.

A BCP Council spokesperson, said: “Our beach cleansing and seafront ranger teams carry out daily checks of the shoreline and area always quick to respond to reports of palm oil.

“It is not uncommon for palm oil to wash up along our coastline throughout the year and especially following stormy weather.

“We would advise dog owners to be mindful when walking their dog and report any suspected palm oil to us so we can respond accordingly.’’

Any reports to the beach cleansing team can be reported to the local authority’s tourist information centre.