A teaching assistant has been found guilty of callously starving her elderly mother's dog to death.

Alexandra Zochios, 49, of Elmhurst Drive in South Woodford, appeared at Redbridge Magistrates Court accused of neglecting the female shiatsu, called Zoe, until veterinary staff had no choice but to put it out of its misery.

Zochios' 87-year-old mother, who lived just a few doors away, kept Zoe as a companion but after being diagnosed with severe Alzheimer's, was unable to care for herself or the pet properly.

Denied food and medical treatment, the dog was dismissed as a ball of fluff' by the heartless mother-of-five until it weighed only 2kg.

RSPCA Inspector Dawn Avery told the court of the appalling sight she encountered upon entering the house on November 6, last year.

She said: "The dog was lying on the bed in a very poor condition. All her ribs and bones were showing, her eyes were gungy and she was gasping for breath so I believed her to be dying."

Inspector Avery immediately took the dog to Goddards Vet Practice in Wanstead where she was treated in a desperate attempt to save her life, but eventually had to be put down after going into cardio-vascular arrest.

Vet Martin Lawton performed the autopsy on behalf of the RSPCA and said he believed it would have taken at least three months to reach that level of emaciation.

He added: "It was starving and the suffering was unnecessary as I could find no medical reason why this dog was unable to maintain its weight. It was almost like a skeleton preparation. The bones could be seen and it was almost transparent in places."

Zochios denied the charges and claimed she had put out a tin of dog food every evening for Zoe but, as she did not stay to watch it be eaten, could only presume that her mother was clearing the plate away without thinking.

She added: "The dog would always be under my mother's arm. I would go back later and everything would be washed up and I assumed it had been eaten. She wasn't my dog and I only brought it food as a favour as I care about my mum."

Presiding magistrate John Miller decided Zochios was guilty of both charges - of failing to provide the animal with adequate nutrition and failing to seek out medical attention when it was her responsibility to do so.

Zochios was bailed to return on April 22 for sentencing, pending the preparation of probation service reports.

Inspector Avery said she was delighted that justice was done, adding: "This was a shocking case as if somebody had asked for help then it wouldn't have reached this point and this little dog wouldn't have died.

"This should serve as a reminder that when an animal's owner is incapable of looking after themself that those caring have a responsibility to look after their pets as well."