Dog owners who walk their pets on windy beaches risk giving their animals 'sandblast' eye injuries, a vet has warned.

Veterinary surgeon Iain Booth says you should think carefully before venturing onto the sands with your four-legged friends at this time of year.

Mr Booth says vets see severe irritation and inflammation of the eyes caused by exposure to windy beaches and he's urging pet lovers to seek alternative walking locations for their dogs.

He explains: 'When the conditions are right, there's is absolutely no better place to walk your dog than on the beach.

'It's one of life's true pleasures and you can understand why some dog owners are passionately against the summer time beach ban.

'Yet it's also vital owners see things from a dog's eye view.

'You might venture onto the beach and think it's not particularly windy, but try putting your head on the floor next to the sand and you'll experience things from a different perspective.'

Mr. Booth founder of www.vetuk.co.uk, said that what typically happens is that an owner will walk their dog on the beach and then hurry to the vets later when they realise their pet has now got painful red eyes.

'It can be a really shocking and scary situation for both pets and owners,' he continued, 'And on a windy day you're doing the equivalent of putting their heads into a sandblasting machine.

'It causes severe irritation, interferes with their tear film, and a vet will have to introduce eye drops – essentially false tears – to restore balance.

'I don't want to take away the joy of playing around on the beach, but I do think dog owners need to be better aware of the risks.'

Has your dog ever suffered injuries from a windy beach? Let us know in the comments.