DISTRESSING pictures capture a dog’s “weeping skin” after her owner let a jumper get stuck to its fur.

Poor pooches Holly and Poppy, West Highland white terriers, were never taken to the vets during their battle against a skin infection.

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Gail Bradshaw, 64, and daughter Nicola, 29, were found guilty of two counts of animal cruelty against the dogs.

The pooches, who were under “ultimate” Petplan insurance, were left in such an “absolutely shocking state”, an RSPCA inspector said it was the worst she had seen in her 15 year career.

Poppy battled fur loss and a skin infection, so she was taken to the vets by the Bradshaws. But they did not properly follow the vet’s instructions to help the pooch recover, Preston Magistrates’ Court heard.

When Holly also showed similar symptoms last year, she was not taken to the vet either.

Gail, who worked at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court for 30 years, claimed she decided to “self-treat” Poppy as she didn’t think a treatment for her skin condition was working.

But when she put a filthy jumper on Poppy to “keep her warm”, it had stuck to her “weeping skin”.

RSPCA inspector Vicki McDonald said: “The severity of the skin conditions and fur loss suffered by these dogs was the worst I’ve seen in my 15-year career.

“They were in an absolutely shocking state. When I first saw Poppy she was wearing a filthy baby jumper.

“Gail Bradshaw said she put it on her to keep her warm and to stop her scratching herself raw.

“When the vet tried to remove the jumper it had stuck to Poppy’s weeping skin around her armpits, chest and front legs.”

Magistrates said Gail Bradshaw’s recollection of previous vet visits were vague and she offered no credible explanation for not following treatment plans or seeking further vet treatment.