Madera County Animal Services is warning the public about an outbreak of canine distemper virus, a highly contagious disease affecting dogs and some wildlife, including raccoons and foxes.

Confirmed cases have been reported in the riverbed area within the city of Madera, officials said Tuesday.

Mell Garcia, founder of Mell’s Mutts in Fresno, who often takes in dogs from Madera, said the outbreak is not linked to the county shelter.

“This has nothing to do with the shelter; they do such a great job,” Garcia said.

Garcia said, in her experience, survival rates for infected dogs are very low and that the virus can spread to other areas quickly. She urged pet owners to ensure their dogs are vaccinated.

How It Spreads, Symptoms

The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, contaminated

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