Watch out for this Algae!

Blue-green Algae is toxic for dogs...

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has issued a strong alert for UK dog owners after sightings of blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) in lakes, rivers and ponds — especially during warm weather. This type of algae can produce powerful toxins harmful to dogs, livestock and wildlife.

Blue-green algae don’t always look scary — they often appear as green, blue-green or brown scum, paint-like patches or foamy clusters on water — but some of these blooms can produce powerful toxins. Dogs can be poisoned by:

• Drinking contaminated water

• Swimming in it and then grooming themselves

• Licking scum off their fur or eating dead fish or material near blooms
  

There is no simple way to tell if algae are toxic just by looking at them — even small amounts of toxin can make a dog very ill, or in severe cases, lead to death without treatment. If you do feel that your dog has ingested blue-green algae or similar in nature, always contact your vets for the best chance of recovery. The symptons could include vomiting, diarrhoea, drooling, temors, breathing difficulites or even collapse. To prevent this from happening, we advise to avoid contact where possible, don’t let dogs swim in or drink from lakes, ponds or slow-moving rivers, especially if water looks discoloured, scummy or foamy. We recommend supervising and rinsing your dogs thoroughly if they’ve been near potentially tainted water.