Helen Harvey's beloved golden retriever Darcy is renowned "for eating anything and everything".
But when the household pet began gagging, retching, and drinking saltwater during a trip to North Stradbroke Island, in Queensland's south-east, the seasoned veterinarian knew something wasn't quite right.
"We saw him picking something up off the sand with his mouth," Dr Harvey said.
"Only about 50 metres after that, he started to cough and gag and retch a little bit."
Darcy eventually vomited, revealing a small blue button jellyfish with no tentacles.
"It had essentially let all its tentacles go on the way down in his throat or possibly in his stomach as well," Dr Harvey said.
Blue button jellyfish are coin-sized creatures that float close to the water surface and tend to wash ashore after heavy winds and large tides.
Their tentacles contain millions of stinging cells that act like a harpoon, which can cause pain and swelling in the throat, oesophagus and stomach of dogs.
"When that harpoon is fired, it injects venom into the animal," Griffith University marine ecologist Kylie Pitt said.
Hidden danger lurking in floodwaters
Emergency veterinarian Dr Robert Webster said there was often an increase in jellyfish stings over the summer period because of the prevailing wind conditions and extra time spent at the beach.
But, while blue button jellyfish are more prevalent following bouts of wild weather, they're not the only danger lurking.
There is also an increased risk of vomit-inducing bacteria being carried in floodwaters, with Dr Webster noting there is generally a rise in the number of dogs presenting with stomach issues after extreme weather events.
"Floodwaters contain bacteria, but also potentially rubbish and toxins," Dr Webster said.
"Exposure to those things can cause [symptoms like] vomiting."
The risk posed to pets at this time of the year is something the Pollard family understands all too well.
After their 18-month-old dog Rory began experiencing bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea this week, an emergency trip to the vet saw him receive intravenous fluid and medication.
It was soon revealed the family pet had haemorrhagic gastroenteritis – a condition caused by a range of possible issues, including allergies, food poisoning or other toxins.
"There's a whole lot of things out there, and the problem is dogs don't sniff and think about it before they eat," Dr Webster said.