Deadly dog virus spreading rapidly

Stratford, Conn. (WTNH) - A deadly dog virus has two local animal shelters on alert.

Six dogs at the Stratford shelter have come down with the Parvovirus. Dogs can be saved if they are treated in time.

"It starts out as lethargy and moves on to severe vomiting, bloody diarrhea, often resulting in death," explained Ofc. Sterrett Pixley, Stratford Animal Control. "We've been lucky. The last three that have proved positive have not died and actually are making a full recovery."

No new dogs are being let in and they're sanitizing the cages to keep it from spreading. They're dealing with a similar problem in Fairfield.

The best advice: make sure your dog is up-to-date with their vaccination. And stay away from areas where dogs congregate.

"Dogs in kennels, animal shelters, dog parks. It's spread in the feces of dogs," explained Dr. Sheldon Yessenow, Oronoque Animal Hospital.