08/13/2019
I’ve been seeing these reports, just an FYI for anyone who isn’t aware.
Blue-green algae deaths have been reported in and around our neighboring states. This is quite scary because animals can drink a small amount of water and have life threatening symptoms within 15-30 minutes, which include breathing distress and seizures.
We thankfully have not seen any cases at Sequoyah Animal Hospital and have not heard of any cases in the Soddy Daisy area (or this part of TN ...yet). But you need to be aware - especially if you are traveling.
There are numerous forms of blue-green algae which are indistinguishable by the naked eye. The majority of these forms are generally harmless, with only a small percentage producing deadly toxins.
These algae tend to "bloom" in stagnant water during prolonged hot temperature. Even though we haven't had any reports of cases near us, we definitely have enough ponds in our area to allow for these to grow.
Avoiding areas that could have this algae is the best medicine because treatment is quite difficult and symptoms progress rapidly at an alarming rate. How much your pet ingests, how large they are, and how dense the toxins are in the water - these all determine how severe the reaction will be. People are also susceptible to these toxins as well.
Please Stay safe out there!
