A couple fear the puppy they got to celebrate their wedding may have been deliberately poisoned. 

Martyn and Laura Senior, both 27, bought six-month-old Archie as a wedding gift to each other during summer last year. 

But their joy at having their first pet took a turn for the worse when the cockapoo unexpectedly became seriously ill. 

Archie was rushed to Vets Now, a pet emergency hospital which provides 24/7 care for pets in Glasgow, with signs of having ingested something toxic. 

And the puppy's kidney and liver test results led staff to warn Martyn and Laura that Archie may not survive. 

Laura said: "It was so horrible seeing him like that. His always an energetic dog and to not see that was just so sad. 

"Initially Archie had become a bit ill and lethargic and we took him to our usual vet and they gave him some medicine. 

"But then he became violently sick - I've never seen anything so bad - so we went to Vets Now. 

"The vets couldn't pinpoint what had caused his illness. 

Glasgow Times:
Martyn and Laura Senior​ (Credit: SWNS)

"At first, they thought it could be leptospirosis, an infection dogs can catch from other animals such as rats, or that he could have eaten something toxic. 

"It was particularly bad for my husband, Martyn, because he's a doctor so he could tell just how bad things were." 

The couple, from Glasgow, had heard reports of dogs exercising in parks being targeted by sick-minded people with a grudge against owners who do not clean up after their pets. 

RSPCA figures also revealed a 73 per cent rise in deliberate and accidental poisonings of dogs over the past five years. 

As Archie continued battling for his life, specialist veterinary staff carried out more tests. 

They ruled out leptospirosis as well as Addison's disease, which occurs when the adrenal glands fail to produce the right hormones. 

The vets phoned the couple "three or four times a day" to keep them updated and they also visited Archie every day. 

Laura added: "I can't explain how much that helped us and mentally it must have helped Archie too. 

"Every time we went in he would lift his head and lick us and that was the Archie we knew. 

"I think a lot of people might have given up in that situation, but my message is 'don't give up too soon' because Archie was dying. 

"The vets did everything they could to make him better and eventually it worked. 

"It was the longest week of our lives. 

"We didn't ever think we were going to get Archie home, but after all the treatment and all the time and effort by the vets, he was able to come home on medication which feels unbelievable. 

Martyn said: "How can the best year of your life become the worst? We're so lucky to have him back." 

Vets have been unable to diagnose what specifically made Archie ill, but the evidence suggests he had ingested a dangerous toxin. 

Laura added: "Around the area we live, there have been reports of people leaving out dog food laced with toxins. Maybe Archie could have eaten some? 

"It just shows how much you need to watch dogs all the time - although it's hard when they're puppies and into everything." 

In September, the RSPCA made a national plea about accidental and deliberate pet poisonings after recording 213 cases in 2012, 293 in 2014 and 368 last year. 

Glasgow Times:
Martyn and Laura Senior​ (Credit: SWNS)

Specialist vet Scott Kilpatrick, who works in the Vets Now pet emergency hospital in Glasgow, said the staff were happy Archie had returned to full health. 

He said: "Archie is such an adorable puppy and clearly meant the world to Martyn and Laura. 

"He was desperately ill when he was admitted and required a significant amount of intensive care during the seven nights he was in hospital. 

"It seems we'll never know exactly what made him so ill but he's clearly a fighter because he fought through it. We're all very relieved he's recovered." 

Laura said she was delighted to have her cockapoo back. 

She's now planning to take him to Neilston Primary School, where she teaches, to thank pupils for their support. 

She said: "My class have been incredible. I didn't take any time off work as I wanted to be in school, but one day I did break down and the kids were amazing. 

"They've been asking questions about Archie every day and now call him the class mascot."