Toxic Algae in Local Canals Can Be Fatal to Pets

This time of year we frequently hear about "blue green algae" in our local waterways. While it's not usually at levels that are concerning to healthy individuals, the resulting toxins can be a huge problem for our pets!

An eight-year old boxer named Bella recently died in West Palm Beach after eating something out of a canal with toxic algae. The incident took place by the C-51 canal, the waterway that runs along the border of Lake Worth and West Palm Beach, just north of Southern Blvd., stretching from the intracoastal west towards Wellington.

According to Bella's family, Bella ate something that was on their boat before getting sick. While "algae poisoning" isn't something vets commonly look for, Bella's owners let the vet know they had been on the water, and that Bella showed the common initial symptoms of an upset stomach and vomiting. Scientists at Green Water Laboratories ran tests on Bella’s vomit and found toxins consistent with the algae.

In previous years, other local dogs have gotten sick from toxic algae and developed long-term conditions such as liver disease. Always take precautions if the water looks questionable, and definitely keep your pets away from the water when you hear the warnings on local news reports.