Let's Talk About Cyanobacteria Bloom

2020 may be over as far algae but I am leaving this info as it is a recurring concern for warm weather
some cyanobacteria may produce dangerous nervous system toxins. When in abundance, toxin concentrations can elevate to levels that affect the health of organisms exposed to them, including people, pets, and livestock. Humans and animals can ingest varying amounts of the growth material and/or toxins. Even very small pieces of the cyanobacterias growth may contain enough anatoxin-a to cause medical emergencies. These pieces of bacteria may be hard to see or even invisible.
 
This “algae” is not actually a type of algae but a bacterium known as cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria isn’t visible to the naked eye, but it often gives the appearance of algae when it clumps together in bodies of water. These bacteria are often found in non-flowing freshwater during hot seasons with little rainfall. Toxic algae can also grow in backyard pools and decorative ponds if they aren’t routinely cleaned.

Children and dogs are especially susceptible to being exposed to anatoxin-a. Anatoxin-a can be absorbed through the eyes, nose, or mouth by swimming in or submerging accidentally or unknowingly into contaminated water. Symptoms include skin rash, salivation, drowsiness, tingling, burning, numbness, pain, incoherent speech, seizures, vomiting, and diarrhea.
If your get in affected water, remove them from the water immediately, rinse off their fur thoroughly, and monitor for symptoms of toxin poisoning. A dog can die in as little as 15 minutes from anatoxin-a poisoning.

Here's a link to more helpful information:
https://www.epa.gov/nutrientpollution/harmful-algal-blooms

!Blue green algea warning
Blooms of blue-green algae can produce harmful toxins which stop a dog’s liver from functioning properly. However, not all types of blue-green algae are dangerous.
Sadly, exposure to toxic blue-green algae is often fatal, and can also cause long term health problems in dogs that survive after drinking or swimming in algae-contaminated water. Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog just 15 minutes to an hour after drinking contaminated water.
Dogs who have been swimming in water can get the algae caught in their fur, and can ingest it while cleaning themselves later on.
Concentrations of the algae vary throughout the year and may not always be harmful - but you can’t tell simply by looking at them whether or not they are dangerous, so it is best not to run the risk of allowing your dog to come into contact with water where the algae may be present.
The bacteria cannot be seen with the naked eye unless they clump together. When this happens, blue-green algae can look like green flakes, greenish bundles or brown dots in a pond, lake or stream.
Blue-green algae is a term used to describe a group of bacteria, called cyanobacteria.
They are not actually algae, but the organisms got this name because they often give the appearance of algae when they clump together in bodies of water.
When the algae blooms, it can give look like a blue-green scum has appeared on the surface of the water. It sometimes looks a bit like pea soup.
Blooms of the organisms often build up around the edges of ponds and lakes, which may look like foam.
It is most common in non-flowing fresh water such as lakes and ponds during hot weather when there is less rainfall, but can also occur at other times of the year.
You may notice dead fish in ponds or lakes with a high concentration of the toxic bacteria. Don’t let your dog drink from water containing dead animals.
The algae may be present in a harmful form even if you cannot see it, so take note of any warning signs in the area.
If your dog shows any of the following signs after drinking from, or swimming or paddling in water, contact your vet immediately and tell them you are concerned about blue-green algae:
    Vomiting/being sick           Diarrhea         Seizures/fitting     Breathing difficulties
    Weakness/collapse/          Disorientation/confusion     Droolin
There is no antidote for the toxins produced by the bacteria, but if caught early enough, your vet will likely try to make your dog sick and attempt to flush the toxins from the body before they take hold.   

The neurological signs can happen very, very quickly.

Intense blooms have led to swimming bans from lakes in the Pacific Northwest to the entire Mississippi seacoast and to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey's largest lake. Algal blooms tend to thrive in high temperatures and after heavy rains carry fertilizer runoff and sewage into waterways.

"This time of year is when you have the most numbers of cases and people are out and about with their animals and the conditions are ripe for the cyanobacteria to grow," Val Beasley, a professor of veterinary, wildlife and ecological toxicology sciences at Pennsylvania State University

 important note a few spoonfuls of hydrogen peroxide will make your dog vomit hopefully bringing up whatever bad has been ingested.  while peroxide can irritate the stomach it is not harmful otherwise and sure beats the alternative - you can do this immediately before the vet.