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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
 
#102 ·
I didn't know that a blue green algae is dangerous to dogs. My dog "LUCKY" swam on the lake nearby once. Couple of days after I noticed that he's getting weak. It seems that he was sick so I went to our nearest vet clinic to had him check up and he asked me if my dog had drink a contaminated water I told him that I always gave him a clean water. Maybe Lucky was poisoned by cyanobacteria that he got from swimming in the lake.
 
#104 ·
Some strains of BACTERIA can detox water after contamination by blue-green algal toxins:

Novel Bacterial Strains Clear Algal Toxins From Drinking Water

"microcystins... are released into the water [by the blue-green algae] & are easily ingested by animals & humans
who drink, swim or bathe in the contaminated water.
...the toxins attack liver cells, causing acute & chronic poisoning. Conventional methods for water treatment
such as sedimentation, sand filtration, flocculation & chlorination do not remove microcystins.

...more than 10 bacterial strains [were found, which can] metabolize microcystins, breaking them down into
harmless non-toxic materials.
The Arthrobacter, Brevibacterium & Rhodococcus species were able to break down 6 common microcystins.

6 of the strains were incubated in river water with variants of the toxin to simulate natural conditions;
all 6 were able to degrade the microcystins."

More info:
Cracking the blue-green code: Study of gene expression in blue-green algae reveals what makes it bloom, toxic

To read the articles WITHOUT the irritating clutter of ads, click on "PRINT" & read ad-free. :yesnod:
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#105 ·
it's not ONLY impounded waters that are affected; bays, rivers, enormous lakes, creeks, etc,
can be affected by cyanobacteria blooms. Marine or freshwater can be toxic. It's not always "visible".

FAQs:
Blue-green Algae Frequently Asked Questions

LAKE ERIE - one of the 5 Great Lakes of the USA, which together contain over 1/5th of the world's fresh water -
is currently suffering a massive bloom:
Algae Bloom may affect the Water Quality along the Shoreline in Leamington | Austrian Tribune

FIVE lakes in Kentucky currently have blooms that are up to TEN TIMES the level for "concern" -
http://www.courier-journal.com/arti...060069/Kentucky-wrestles-how-deal-toxic-algae

The state has tested 12 more lakes, but refuses to release the results, saying they are "preliminary" -
a biologist said that there are most likely multiple lakes that are currently hazardous, not only the 5
overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers. :rolleyes:

The take-home message is that U often can't see it, it isn't "only" standing water, & safe beats sorry.
If the water isn't tested [beaches, etc], i'd suggest not entering it, nor allowing dogs to swim or drink.
 
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