Warrick County Animal Control Warns of Algae That Can Kill Dogs

There's been reports of dogs dying after going into bodies of water, and it turns out blue-green algae is to blame.

Could you imagine how awful it would be to go to the lake with your dog, expecting to do some swimming with your pet, only to have them die a few hours later?  That would be horrible. Unfortunately it has happened, and very recently there have been reports of people taking their dogs to bodies of water, only to have them die within hours. The reason it turns out, is due to blue-green algae, and it's been reported in Indiana.

Warrick County Animal Control recently posted an info-graphic all about blue-green algae and what to know.  According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, they say blue-green algae blooms can cause skin irritations and digestive issues in humans, but can poison pets.  The blooms appear as foam, scum or streaks on the surface of the water.  You can find these blooms in lakes, ponds and rivers.  They say if your pet does go into the water make sure they've got plenty of fresh water to drink before swimming, don't let them lick their fur, rinse them off with clean water, and then rinse your hands and any exposed skin.

They say the effects blue-green algae can have on dogs are severe and can take place within minutes to hours.  They recommend if you aren't sure if what you see is blue-green algae, to just stay out of the water for the safety of you and your pets.

For more information on the blue-green algae, please check out algae.IN.gov.