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Dangers of Swimming In Your Local Pond
Health & Wellness
dangers of swimming in your local pond
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Written by Kelly Glasson, Staff Writer
Look before you let your dog leap!
During the summer months in Charleston when the heat is brutal and the humidity is at an all time high, cooling off in the water is a necessity. It is also important for our dogs to keep cool and is very helpful in lowering their body temperature. But what happens when what you think is helpful to your dog actually becomes harmful and potentially fatal? Melissa Martin, a resident in Wilmington, North Carolina suspected nothing when taking her 3 dogs to swim in a local pond. What she didn’t realize was this swim was about to become fatal. In an emotional Facebook post shared by Martin to warn other dogs owners about this bluegreen algae after losing all 3 of her dogs to it, she explained that her dogs started having seizures. Upon bringing them to the emergency veterinarian, she discovered their livers had shut down, leaving her with nothing she could do. Deaths in dogs have been reported due to this algae in North Carolina, Texas, & Georgia. Swimming bans have been placed in multiple locations across the country throughout this past summer due to this harmful algae. “The toxins produced by blue-green algae is potentially fatal to dogs,” says Dr. Shannon Graham, an emergency veterinarian at Veterinary Specialty Care. “Pets may be exposed by swallowing contaminated water while swimming, licking the toxin off of their fur, or contact with their skin.”
This string of blue-green algae are considered a cyanobacteria, which according to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) are, “tiny plant-like organisms that, under the right conditions, can overgrow in rivers, lakes, and oceans. This rapid growth is called an algal bloom and can be associated with foam, scum, or thick layers of algae on the surface of water.” When there are harmful toxins located in the algal bloom that cause harm to humans or animals, these are then classified as Harmful Algal Blooms or HABs. Martin described the water as looking less than harmful on the day her fun trip with her dogs turned tragic. While this string of algae is called blue-green, there may not be clear signs that cause dog owner’s to question their pet’s safety. “Algal blooms can look and smell bad and may cause the water to appear green, red, brown, or blue in color; however, algal blooms can't always be seen,” stated by the SCDHEC. The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, whose motto “when in doubt, best to stay out”, compiled a list of symptoms of this algae poisoning which include (but are not limited to) nausea, excessive drooling, diarrhea, foaming at the mouth, jaundice, blood in urine, loss of appetite and more. If your dog is exhibiting any of these signs after swimming in a pond, lake, ocean or river contact your emergency vet immediately. “Harmful algae is life-threatening and without an antidote, prevention is extremely important,”said Dr. Graham. As stated by the SCDEHC, the only known outbreak of an HAB currently in the state of South Carolina is at Lake Wateree, a 19 mile reservoir located in Kershaw, Fairfield, and Lancaster counties. The best ways to avoid encounters with this deadly algae is to research the area that you are letting your pet swim in before you go, scanning the water for any suspicious algae growing at the surface, smell for any foul odors coming off of the water, and most importantly bring water with you on all walks, so that your dog isn’t tempted to drink from other water sources. “It is definitely something that is important for veterinarians to educate pet owners about,” said Graham. “Swimming is a great way for dogs in the lowcountry to exercise and cool off during the hot summer months, but it is important to know the potential physical signs of harmful algal blooms.”
