Professional dancer Karen Hauer has revealed that she ended up in tears at the vets with her dog Marley this week.
Karen, 42, occasionally posts about her four rescue dogs, including Marley, on Instagram. She's understood to have shared recently that her canine companion was sporting a recovery cone due to an issue with one of his paws.
The Strictly Come Dancing pro has since updated fans on the experience, sharing on Wednesday morning that her "baby boy" Marley had a suspected cyst on his paw. She told her followers that she would be taking him to the vets.
Addressing the situation in a video message in the post this week, in which the dog's paw was seen being soaked in a bowl, Karen said: "Just a little update on Marley. So last night he managed to get to his paw, even with his cone on, and lick it." She continued: "Hence why he looks guilty." 
Karen went on to share that a virtual vet had suggested it might be a cyst on his paw and encouraged her to seek medical attention if no improvement. She said: "The video vet said that it might be a cyst and to give it 48 hours and if it didn't get better than we have to go and see the vet."
She continued: "So we will see the vet today after I come back from rehearsals. He looks guilty right now because he knows that he shouldn't have gone and licked his paw, but he's also very, very sad because he's not able to be himself."
The video concluded with a message for Marley himself, with Karen heard telling him: "We're gonna get you all the help. You're being so brave. I'm so sorry. No more licking, please." She then told fans: "We'll see how it goes today."
She subsequently shared content from rehearsals with her celebrity partner Paul Merson for the latest series of Strictly, which continues on Saturday. Following the training session, Karen posted an update on visiting the vets.
It included a photo of Marley being comforted by Karen's partner Simon Davidson, 38, in the waiting room. She wrote: "Lil Marley at the vets. Had a little procedure done to his paw. My brave little man. [Simon] held him and I cried."
Former rugby player Simon - who went public with his romance with Karen earlier this year - also shared an update on Wednesday. He uploaded a photo of Marley sporting his latest cone following the visit to the vets and wrote in the accompanying caption: "An even bigger cone of shame. Bless him!" Karen shared the post on her own Instagram Story.
