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dturm
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Aug 14, 2019

Toxic Bue Green Algae Warning

You may have seen many recent articles and stories about dogs who have died after swimming in lakes and ponds. The issue is Blue-Green algae blooms that happen this time of year, but seem to be worse this year.

Dogs get symptoms and die pretty rapidly after swimming. It seems to be pretty wide spread and not isolated to one particular area.

The warning, don't let your dog swim unless you know the lake/pond is free of this algae. Running water tends to have less chance of developing these algae blooms.

Blue-Green Algae toxicity
  • Living near Toledo, I know all about algae. All I have to do is go down to Lake Erie and look at it. Thank goodness I have well water. Toledoians drink green water this time of year (and it stinks too).
  • The algae that people seem to think is "toxic" is filamentous algae - it's blobby and thick and nasty-looking. And harmless.

    To *me* toxic blue-green algae looks like someone spilled green paint in the water?
  • OK, and thank you for this topic.

    I watch a number of animal online sites.

    In the one Mississippi River Flyway the animals are mostly birds, but I have seen a few turtles. It is interesting how many parts of that river system have stagnant water and how many of the birds go around looking for food in these stagnant sites.

    These sites often look to me as if they have this blue green algae. So,
    how many animals are not bothered by the blue green algae? &, if I'm right, why are they free from this poisoning?

    :)