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Dog owners in Swindon are being asked to check their pet's vaccinations are up to date after an outbreak of a potentially life-threatening virus.

Five dogs in the Penhill area have been diagnosed with canine parvovirus with three having to be put down so far.

It is believed another two animals have already died from the virus.

Young puppies and older dogs are particularly at risk with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhoea with blood in it.

'Very miserable'

Emma Coles, a vet at Drove Veterinary Hospital, said the virus is spread between dogs very easily.

"When they are out they pick up faeces on their paws and when this is ingested it can make them very poorly," she said.

"The dogs are sick many times, become very depressed, don't want to move around, cannot face their food and become very miserable."

She added that pet owners who had taken their dogs for their yearly booster jab would have nothing to worry about.

"Dogs do eat things that make them sick but if they are bright and want to eat or play with a ball don't start panicking.

"If they start bleeding from their bottom, are very depressed or unresponsive - those are the cases we need to be worried about," she said.