Blue-Green Algae Kills A Dog

Photo by The Wichita Eagle



Just what the title said. Kelly Spencer dogs had always gone for a dip in the pond and she didn’t even think about one of her dogs catching anything from the pond water. Kelly’s Australian shepherd named Foster had died within days of contacting blue green algae from swimming in a pond.

The toxins come in two main forms: hepatotoxins, which target the liver, and neurotoxins, which affect the nervous system. Signs that a dog may have ingested the poison include vomiting, bloody diarrhea, weakness, muscle tremors, labored breathing and convulsions.
Fred Oehme a professor of toxicology said; The toxin is very rapidly absorbed and depending on how much a dog has ingested, it can die within a few hours. It's important to note that not all blue-green algae is toxic.

So next time you take your dog to a pond or lake you just might want to check the water first.

Read the story by Diane McCartney here.