UK Pet Forums Forum banner

For those dogs that swim in lakes and ponds...

42K views 104 replies 93 participants last post by  leashedForLife 
#1 ·
Are owners aware of the dangers of blue green algae?

There was something on the news this morning that jogged my memory. Its mainly related to standing water, so flowing streams and rivers are usually safe.

cyanobacteria poisoning,
poisoning by cyanobacteria, usually as a result of drinking contaminated water. In most cases it is a subacute condition characterized by liver damage with jaundice and sometimes bloody diarrhea and photosensitization. Drinking of heavily contaminated water may cause acute symptoms including muscle tremors, ataxia, dyspnea, cyanosis, and hyperesthesia so that a slight touch may cause convulsions and opisthotonos, which can be fatal. Also called blue-green algae poisoning.
Dog owners warned against letting pets swim in lakes after poisonous algae found flourishing in hot weather | Mail Online
 
#52 ·
I have a (almost) 6 year old golden retriever, Chester, and he LOVES to swim in anything that resembles water! Luckily, I always try to go to the coast where he can swim in the water and run along the beach. After reading this post I will definitely avoid lakes or standing waters. Chester has had allergies since he was a puppy and he has very sensitive skins so I will make sure he only swims in the sea! Thank you for this important post.
 
#56 ·
Wondered if anyone can help me understand what I'm actually looking to avoid?

The river where we live has lots of algae on the top, the water itself is completely clear.

If algae is on the top is this blue green algae or does that colour the water? I don't understand if its algae itself to avoid or water which is discoloured/greenish?
 
#57 ·
Wondered if anyone can help me understand what I'm actually looking to avoid?

The river where we live has lots of algae on the top, the water itself is completely clear.

If algae is on the top is this blue green algae or does that colour the water? I don't understand if its algae itself to avoid or water which is discoloured/greenish?
Anyone able to help me with this at all..?

Thanks :)
 
#58 ·
I live along side the river Trent, and I am always telling people don't let your dog go into the river, they mostly tell me were to go, and when I tell them, this year a lone there have been seven dogs die, from swimming in the river, they say am making it up, last week there was a woman with two Boxer dogs, she let them in the water, and came running back holding one in her arms, am sad to say it died, there should be more advertised about the problem.
 
#61 ·
We have lakes around here, but they have fresh flowing water that goes in and out of them and through streams/waterfull's etc, it's a massive system, they are all connected. They are not stagnant.

Are these safe or prone to this problem? Loads of dogs swim in them.

I've attached a picture. Any advise welcome.
 

Attachments

#65 ·
I always have trouble keeping my chocolate Labrador out of water. She loves swimming so much. I try and take her to places with running water. I think she did get lung worm once and I blamed it on her swimming in stagnant water. Trouble is I can't stop her from jumping into water as she thinks its worth a smack. No matter how much obedience training I do with her it goes out of the window if there is water around.:mad:
 
#69 ·
CROSSPOSTED

PLEASE BE AWARE AND SHARE

Original poster = Jo Hart (agilitynet) - permission gained to crosspost

Just wanted to let you all know what happened yesterday on my walk
through the woods, as I'm sure a few of you swim your dogs.

There is a stream where they all usually paddle which this morning was
more like a river with large ponds in areas. They were in and out of the
water for a lot of the walk, retrieving things from the ponds too. On the
way back from the walk my border terrier, Izzy, started limping, holding
her knee almost parallel with her body and shaking vigorously, at this point
I thought she had done something to the leg as she refused to put any
weight on it. We picked her up and headed to the car to go to the vet.
On the way to the vet we realised Izzy wasn't putting weight on the other
leg either and she was frantically licking both legs. We noticed she was very
unsteady and wobbly and thought maybe she had sprained her spine (if they
can do that?), which was causing her legs to feel numb, she had lost control
of her back end. She also wet herself on the way to the vets.

When we got her to the vet she was no longer limping, but was very unsteady
and couldn't walk properly, she was panicky, hot and scratching her feet against
the floor. Whilst I was in the vets, my partner ran in to say both our other dogs,
(which are large dogs) were now doing the same (loss of control of the back
legs, scratching, panicking). The vet came to the conclusion they have been
poisoned by fertilizer in the run off from the field in the river, and having washed
them immediately, given them steroid injections, charcoal, piriton and lots of food
and water, they seem slightly wobbly and tired but ok (I'm watching closely for
the next 24 hours).

We're not sure where the fertilizer came from as nothing has been used on the
field next to the stream (or obviously in the woods) for years but I'm aware
there is a farm next to the land... I'm trying to contact the environment agency.

I've never heard of this happening before so I thought I'd just warn you
as with the rain we have had the farmers chemicals can be spread quite a
way. My lot certainly won't be swimming for a long time.
Originally from Large Breed Dog Rescue
 
#70 ·
Oh no this post made me to worry:eek:
Today I was out for a long walk with my dog. I decided to take him to the forest and there is a huge lake, he was swimming and drunk some water from there too...

Since I came home he was only sleeping and also looks very tired, maybe it affected him because we walked about 15 miles and he usually doesn't go for such a long walks??!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top