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Dogs particularly sensitive to blue-green algae toxins

Pet owners should be vigilant
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Dog owners should take note of blue-green algae alerts in the Lakeland region. Photo Clare Gauvreau
With blue-green algae alerts starting to emerge in the Lakeland region, pet owners are reminded to keep their dogs on a short leash and keep them out of the water in areas where obvious signs of the algae are visible.

St. Paul veterinarian Dr. Craig Hellquist said while he believes he’s never had to treat a dog poisoned by the blue-green algae, he said what he understands about the toxins in the algae is they can have a fast and deadly impact.

“Usually the clinical sign you find is death – that’s how quickly it acts,” Hellquist said. “They get into it, they are exposed to the toxin and they die in a short period of time. There’s not a lot to counteract it and probably there’s no antidote or method other than supportive care. It all depend on how much the dog got into.”

Blue-green algae advisories have been issued by Alberta Health Services for Lac Santé and Moose Lake in the region. While no alert has been issued for Laurier Lake, residents were also reporting it is an issue there.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) is naturally occurring, and often become visible when weather conditions are calm. Appearing like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water, blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, and/or pinkish-red, and often smell musty or grassy,” according to AHS.

In information Hellquist provided to Lakeland This Week from the MERCK Manual, a veterinarian resource, “poisoning usually does not occur unless there is a heavy waterbloom that forms a dense surface scum. Factors that contribute to heavy waterblooms are nutrient-rich eutrophic to hypereutrophic water and warm, sunny weather. Evidence supports the observation that global climate change causes earlier, more intense, and longer-lasting warm weather that leads to more extensive waterblooms of cyanobacteria.”

All type of species can be impacted by the algae including birds, cattle and horses. However, dogs are most susceptible due to their penchant for “swimming and drinking in dense waterblooms” and their increased sensitivity to the cyanotoxins.

“Death may occur within a few hours (usually within 4–24 hr), up to a few days. Death may be preceded by coma, muscle tremors, paddling, and dyspnea. Watery or bloody diarrhea may also be seen,” states the manual.

While the information is enough to put fear into any dog owner who has a pet that loves the water, Hellquist reminds people common sense is likely the best practice. It might not be a whole lake that is the problem, but rather certain areas where the water is more stagnant.

“Realistically, if you’ve got a clear body of water and there’s no algae, there is likely no danger. It’s when you have this bloom, heavy growth,” he said. “It just seems like years ago, you never heard the warnings. For pets, dogs obviously like to run in the water, if there’s a concern or a warning you will probably keep your dog out of the water. ”

While pet owners need to be aware of the potential lethal impacts of blue-green algae, Hellquist would also like to remind dog owners their pets can also suffer from something he sees during the summer months  - heat stroke.

“Dogs don’t know when to quit. People keep throwing the ball and water will cool them off, but if they out running around and they get too hot, that’s not a good thing.”

 

 

 


 

 


Clare Gauvreau

About the Author: Clare Gauvreau

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