DOG owners across Hampshire have been put on alert as a deadly virus sweeps the county.

Parvovirus was a big killer of dogs in the late 1970s. Now it has surfaced in this area and there are fears for the safety of pets whose vaccinations are not up to date.

Max Tuck of the Animed Veterinary Hospital in Shedfield said she normally only saw one case of the virus a year.

However, in the last two weeks alone she has seen six cases of the virus and not all the dogs have survived.

"I'm suspicious there will be an outbreak if people aren't taking advice and getting their dogs boosted," she said.

The virus can lead to severe dehydration and death in as little as 24 hours.

Only 50 per cent of dogs survive the treatment, which can be very expensive for owners. Puppies and older dogs are particularly vulnerable.

The virus cannot be passed on to humans but is highly contagious among dogs and can be spread through exposure to infected faeces.

"It's a cause for concern in areas with a high population of dogs and parks," said Max.

"It's easy for the virus to be transmitted and the dogs don't have to have direct contact with an infected dog."

When parvovirus appeared in the late 1970s Max said vets were initially baffled.

"They basically had all these dogs coming in, vomiting and dying," she said.

"It was a big problem but vaccinations were developed and it was brought under control."

Media exposure to the dangers of 'overvaccination' may have caused dog owners to become worried about having their pets vaccinated regularly.

"People were concerned there might be a disease occurring in dogs as a result of regular vaccinations," said Max. "Recent large-scale research has disproved that."

Max said dog owners should check their pets had received booster jabs within the last year, and if they had not or they were unsure, they should talk to their vets.

Parvovirus symptoms

Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhoea with blood present, lethargy, a high temperature, dehydration and lack of interest in food.

The virus can be treated but only 50 per cent of dogs survive.

If the dog does survive there's still a chance it will be left with permanent gut damage.

Vaccines are available and dog owners should talk to their vets if their pet has not been vaccinated in the last 12 months.