THOSE cute little puppies so many kids will get as presents at Christmas need to be protected, a vet has warned.

Vet Cross vet Julie-Anne Lindop said it as essential all dogs be vaccinated against the potentially deadly parvovirus.

"It's a problem all year round but with so many new puppies going to new homes at Christmas we tend to think of it as a summer thing," Dr Lindop said.

"Vaccination is the key to preventing parvovirus in dogs and prevention is always better than cure."

Dr Lindop said in terms of treatment, affected dogs would usually be put on a drip and require some hospital time.

She said the parvovirus was an incredibly tough organism that could live for years in the environment.

"It gets spread in the faeces of affected dogs," she said.

The virus attacks the growing cells in a dog's intestinal tract.