How to spot the toxic algae that’s killing dogs in the Southeast

How to spot the toxic algae that’s killing dogs in the Southeast

Dog owners in the Southeast are spreading the word about the dangers of contaminated water following the deaths of their beloved pets.Get more news about Blue Green Pet Protection Tape,you can vist our website!

In Wilmington, North Carolina, three dogs died after frolicking in a pond, while another succumbed after a swim in Lake Allatoona, Georgia. A common enemy likely led to the deaths of all four dogs: liver failure brought on by ingesting water contaminated with toxic blue-green algae.

These pets died in the same region, but toxic algae can be found all over the United States – so dog owners throughout the nation need to be on the lookout.Algae occurs naturally in water, but the blue-green variety are considered Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are “primitive,” photosynthetic organisms that can feed off the sun to make their own energy and release oxygen and possibly toxins in the process, said David G. Schmale III, a professor at Virginia Tech.

Some species produce potent toxins that can sicken or even kill people, pets and wildlife, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Blue-green algae and other HABs can produce different types of poisons, some that affect the liver, others the brain.

Schmale said he hasn’t seen a coroner’s report to verify the causes of death, still he speculates the dogs were thirsty and the water contaminated. “Samples of the water where the dogs were likely exposed will need to be tested” for toxins and bacteria to verify this, though, he said.Harmful algae can bloom in both fresh and marine water. They’ve been observed in large freshwater lakes, smaller inland lakes, rivers, reservoirs and marine coastal areas and estuaries in all 50 states, according to Schmale.

Toxic algae can also grow in decorative ponds as well as backyard pools, providing homeowners with a good reason to properly sanitize swimming water.Toxic algae can look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of water, said Schmale. Harmful algae blooms, which can be blue, vibrant green, brown or red, are sometimes mistaken for paint floating on the water.

Toxic algae often stink, sometimes producing a downright nauseating smell, yet animals may be attracted to the smell and taste of them, according to the EPA.