The vet hospital says the dog died from exposure to blue-green algae after 5 minutes in Halifax’s Long Lake
A Halifax animal hospital says a dog’s recent death was linked to exposure to blue-green algae at Long Lake.
Halifax Veterinary Hospital said in a statement released Wednesday that a dog died suddenly after spending about five minutes in the water at Long Lake on June 16.
The vet hospital says the dog quickly lost the ability to stand, became unresponsive and showed “seizure-like” activity.
The dog died on the way to the emergency hospital about two hours after leaving the water.
Halifax Veterinary Hospital said exposure to the algae, which produces toxins, can cause illness in humans and can be fatal for pets.
“Clinical illness can develop within minutes to hours of exposure and may include symptoms such as: vomiting and diarrhea, skin reaction, sudden death, seizures, respiratory failure or liver failure,” the hospital said.
The hospital stressed that if owners are in doubt whether a body of water has algal blooms, it’s best to keep pets on land and away from shore.
Blue-green algae found elsewhere in NS
Blue-green algae have been detected in nine different lakes in the province, including Long Lake, so far this month, according to the provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
Other locations include Lochaber Lake in Antigonish County, Scotts and Ameros Lakes in Digby County, Ainslie Lake in Inverness County, Morris Lake in Halifax County, Mattatall Lake in Cumberland County, Fox Point Lake in Lunenburg County, and Indian Harbor Lake in Guysborough County.
The department’s website says the algae can be turquoise, green, brown, red, white, or a mix of these colors. It also says that flowers “may look like finely cut grass in the water, spilled paint or pea soup” and sometimes appear as a thick foam on the surface.
