Remember the dangers of Blue/green algae

mommy · Last edited by mommy on Tue May 30, 2006 3:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

As the sun is out and there are many GT's planned not to mention our own walks, I thought I would just do the annual post re Blue/Green Algae.

Some may not be aware of the hazards of letting their Labs drink, or swim in still water / ponds / lakes.
Blue green alga is a spore which becomes active in the early warm days of spring, sooner in the south than the north. The warm weather and sunshine cause the spores to multiply. Usually found in still or slow moving water, it can sometimes be seen as a bloom on the surface, but often you cannot tell by looking.
There is no antidote for the infected as the spore attacks the liver heart, spleen etc and excruciating death follows. Many livestock and dog deaths have been reported where enough algae was ingested.

Symptoms including; dermatitis, asthma, eye irritation, rashes, blistering around the mouth and nose, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and nausea.

Skin/eye contact, and ingestion are known to be routes of exposure.

Direct contact or breathing airborne droplets containing high levels of blue-green algal toxins during swimming or showering can cause irritation of the skin, eyes, nose and throat and inflammation in the respiratory tract

Your dog does not have to swim it only has to play with a dog which has been in infected water and the spores can be inhaled. Your dog can also become infected by sipping water along the ponds edge.

If you dog has been in contact with these spores there is a serious risk, just to be on the safe side, take your dog to the vet immediately.

I know many who refuse to allow their dogs to swim in still water ponds or lakes until late Autumn or early winter, depending on the temperature.

If you don't have perfect recall maybe keep your pup on a leash near these waters....for their own safety.

Usually, alert warnings are put out by the water authorities to warm you, but they are unlikely to be able to cover all areas, private and public so use your own common sense.

HTH

........snippets and thanks from old posts from Kayc, Lablover, NigelB and DEFRA.....obliged Wink

edited to add.......when the temperature cools, seasonally, and is wetter the situation is much safer

VJH · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:11 pm Post subject:

******** I didnt know this - blimey

Georgia · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:13 pm Post subject:

Gosh I didn't know that either. Thank you soo much for highlighting this xx

mommy · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject:

Twas your post this morning Vicky that reminded me to get this thread ' on ' again...although don't panic about Ruby....she is just a sulky mopey love lost teenager Wink

But a very important piece of info for everyone nevertheless.... Wink

Linny · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:16 pm Post subject:

Thanks so much for this post - I had no idea! Embarassed

Cadbury will swim in anything!!
I will be very careful now!

Thanks again!

Linny and Cadbury x x

barleysmum · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:21 pm Post subject:

aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

Som ething else to worry about Sad

Thanks for letting us know but now I need to go buy even more cotton wool to wrap them in Sad

Jeez, the world can be a big bad place cant it?

I am so grateful for these types of threads or else I would never know this stuff and I would feel awful
Shocked

i didnt even know about onions before LF!!!

LUCY_ · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:25 pm Post subject:

Crumbs I had no idea Shocked

Are resevoirs ok? How can you tell which water it is Rhoni?

VJH · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:30 pm Post subject:

Milktray · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:42 pm Post subject:

OMG -I didn't know this either!!

Stupid question warning......what about the green sort of algae stuff that is on garden fencing - is this ok??

xx

mommy · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 4:02 pm Post subject:

The high risk areas are non / slow / still water, so ponds, lakes and well maybe resovouris too.....will go get you ladies some links and pics so you know what you are looking for, although sometimes you can't see it, which is why you consider the water they want to swim in.

Shame really, being Labs and summer but I am very choosy where mine swim, thankfully I am by beaches but if I wasn't they would simply not swin at GT's etc if a pond / lake was only choice and risk was there.

BRB and keep breathing and relaxing Vicky.....