A Toxic Blue Green Algae is Making Dogs Sick and Sometimes is Fatal (August 2019)

As reported in the video above released in mid-August 2019 by MEAWW (Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide), New York Sea Grant's Dogs and Harmful Algal Blooms brochure identifies the toxic bacteria in blooms as cyanobacteria, which can seriously harm pets.

Cyanobacteria are a kind of photosynthesizing bacteria that are naturally occurring in marine and freshwater ecosystems. Though not all types are harmful, some species are capable of producing toxins.

Cyanobacteria need warm water, sun and nutrients to grow. They have little air pockets that they can puff up, allowing them to float up and down in the water column. Sometimes the cells congregate together and are visible in a mass. They can look like spilled paint, chunks, wispy lines or oil.

To see the the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's map of harmful algal blooms and to report a bloom, go to www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/83310.html.

And for more on this topic, see NYSG's related news item, "In Media: Protect Your Dog From Harmful Algal Blooms,"

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