I saw this on the news and just wanted to share awareness for fellow dog owners, especially those that go to lakes and ponds with them. Tw for animal death, but need to know information.
Cyanobacteria, aka blue-green algae, can kill dogs almost instantly. Furthermore, websites tracking this bacteria only test after someone reports a problem, so in MA at least, it can say no algae but be wrong because they haven’t even tested it. In other words, often a dog has to die for the problem to be even reported.
Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, is often a problem in bodies of water across Massachusetts this time of year, but vets say many dog owners are not aware of it.
“Once the symptoms come on, it’s almost always fatal,” Dr. Emily Boches of Veterinary Emergency Group said.
Pet owners are advised that it’s safest to keep dogs out of lakes and ponds during peak algae season as a precaution.
“The only way that we ever find out that it’s a problem is that we have a dog, maybe two dogs, that swim in the same area and they get sick,” said Boches. “It can either affect the way their brain’s functioning or it can affect the way their liver is functioning.”
The potential risk way outweighs the benefits of letting them swim for these couple of weeks or couple of months,” Boches said.
Most dog owners we spoke with had no idea about the danger algae can bring. But Savavier Sagov says she did, and she even checked with local authorities to ensure the water was safe. Now, she’s shocked to learn after the fact the state only tests after issues are reported.
“When you look at the website — whichever website I looked at to do with the water areas — if it says there’s no algae, it doesn’t mean that they’ve come and tested the water,” she said. (TW Animal death: Source)
My dog avoids water but if I had pond loving pup then I would want to know.
