BBC star Evan Davis has praised hydrotherapy for dogs during a bizarre on-air discussion.

The pet pampering emerged as he spoke to fellow presenter Justin Webb on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.

Webb's dog Toffee recently swallowed a sock and required £5,000 worth of treatment at a pet hospital in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

Although the care was covered by insurance, it triggered a debate on the scale of vet bills.

Webb said he regarded it as an "ethical" decision.

"You think of all the things that money should be spent on in the modern world, and you think 'Hang on a second, is this the right way to spend it?'" he said.

Davis said his dog, Mr Whippy, who was in the studio with him, broke his leg when young and treatment had cost more than £4,000 - again covered by insurance.

"When we got the dog I thought 'Look, he's like a watch. If the repair is going to cost more than the new one...' - he cost 500 quid, this little mutt - if it's going to cost more to repair it then you basically throw the dog away and get a new one," he said.

"But of course once you've got the dog you don't think that way."

Davis, who also presents Dragons' Den, added: "When we got the dog we were never going to be one of these stupid owners who gets hydrotherapy for the dog, but when we did get hydrotherapy for the dog it really made a difference."

He said when considering such spending it was natural to ask: "Is this silly?"

But Davis went on: "If you compare the dog's leg to the life of a small child in a poor country obviously the child prevails.

"But if you compare the dog's leg to a holiday, the dog's leg - I would pay for the dog's leg any day, no problem."