Freshwater ponds, lakes and streams could be deadly to your water dog if
they contain toxins borne by blue-green algae.
If the water where your dog swims looks cloudy, with a green or blue-green
cast, you should suspect a dangerous overgrowth of blue-green algae, and
prevent your dog from ingesting the water.
Whole Dog Journal confirmed a recent report, currently in wide circulation
in dog-related e-mail lists, from a Michigan dog owner whose nine-month-old
Border Collie, Vita, died shortly after swimming in a pond near Fenton,
Michigan. The man regularly brought his three Border Collies to the pond
for conditioning swims. But on Monday,
June 25, his youngest dog threw up after drinking some of the water, and
shortly afterward, lost consciousness. Thinking that the dog had heatstroke,
the owner immediately applied ice to her stomach, checked her temperature
(which was normal), checked her gums (also normal), and called his
veterinarian. The owner quickly took his unconscious dog to an emergency
veterinary clinic, and she was placed on a ventilator, but did not survive.
The emergency vet told the dog's owner that he had recently seen other dogs
die of blue-green algae toxicity - a condition that can kill pets,
livestock, and people who drink the contaminated water. "Had I ever heard of
the danger of blue-green algae, I never would have allowed my dogs to swim
in that or any other pond; I would have bought a pool," the owner told Whole
Dog Journal.
The dangers of a "toxic bloom" of blue-green algae are well known in some
states. According to a website published by the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency, certain environmental conditions that generally occur late in summer
can trigger a sudden overgrowth of a certain family of algae called
cyanobacteria. This type of algae occurs in many aquatic environments
year-round, but may thrive to a dangerous degree in during periods of
sustained warm, sunny days in shallow, nutrient rich bodies of water. In
these conditions, the blue-green algae suddenly "blooms" - that is,
reproduces exponentially. The algae produce a powerful toxin - one of the
most powerful natural poisons known. The state of Minnesota warns its
citizens about this hazard, stating that the blue-green algae blooms are
occasionally responsible for the deaths of livestock and dogs who drink
contaminated water.
However, when the man whose dog died this week in Michigan contacted his
state's Department of Natural Resources, looking for more information about
the dangerous algae, he says he was told that the toxic blooms rarely occur
except in late summer, and not to either panic or panic other people. "Had
someone else panicked, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now,"
the grieving owner told the state representative.
Dog owners should be aware that toxic algae blooms usually occur in late
summer or early fall, but can occur at any time. They can occur in marine,
estuarine, and (especially) fresh water. The latter are of the greatest
concern to dog owners, as dogs are commonly taken to ponds, lakes, and
reservoirs in the summer for recreation, exercise, and cooling -- and they
routinely drink the water. Some of these algae blooms look like foam, scum,
or mats on the surface of the water. The blooms can be blue, bright green,
brown, or red ("red tide" is perhaps the best-known so-called "harmful algal
bloom") - but some blooms may not affect the appearance of the water. The
water may or may not smell bad. As a further difficulty to dog owners trying
to protect their dogs, not all algal blooms are toxic!
When an algal bloom is toxic, obviously, it can kill or seriously sicken an
animal, sometimes as quickly as within 15 or 20 minutes of ingestion. The
effects depend on the amount ingested, the size of the animal, the amount of
food in the animal's stomach (a full stomach has some protective effect),
the sensitivity of the species and individual animal, and the amount of
toxin present in the bloom.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, "An animal that has
ingested toxins from an algae bloom can show a variety of symptoms, ranging
from skin irritation or vomiting to severe disorders involving the
circulatory, nervous and digestive systems, and severe skin lesions. In the
worst case, the animal may suffer convulsions and die . . . . People are
seldom seriously affected by toxic algae because the unpleasant odor and
appearance of water associated with blue-green algae blooms tend to make us
avoid it. However, skin rashes, nasal irritation, or other health effects
may result from skin contact with algal toxins. Swallowing or ingesting
water with a blue-green algae bloom may cause symptoms such as vomiting,
diarrhea, or nausea; headache, throat irritation, or muscle pain; and in
severe cases paralysis or respiratory failure."
Further, the Minnesota Department of Health recommends that humans not
ingest, swim or wade in water with blue-green algae, or let children or pets
enter it. "If contact does occur, the material should be washed off
thoroughly, paying special attention to the swimsuit area. If your pet comes
in contact with a bloom, wash off your pet's coat to prevent the pet from
ingesting the algae while self-cleaning. If you suspect the animal is sick
from the algae, call a veterinarian immediately."
"More people should know about this hazard," the Michigan dog owner told us,
his voice choking with grief. "I don't want this to happen to anyone else's
dog."
www.Whole-Dog-Journal.com
