ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) – Dangerously hot temperatures, humidity and lack of rainfall are creating the perfect environment for the formation of blue-green algae, a toxic kind of bacteria called cyanobacteria.
“If you see some kind of bloom on the surface, something that looks like algae, paint, scum or foam, it’s best to stay away from it altogether,” said Dan Zarlenga with the Missouri Department of Conservation. “Stagnant water, like ponds and lakes and water with little movement are most susceptible.
Zarlegna said normal algae and blue-green algae are virtually impossible to tell apart without proper testing and recommends avoiding any water that appears to have build-up on the surface.
The toxic bacteria can be deadly to livestock, pets and humans if absorbed or ingested in certain concentrations. Pets, especially dogs, can suffer two types of poisonings, neurological and gastrointestinal.
“Neurological symptoms can occur almost immediately within 20 or 30 minutes,” said Dr. Angela Garcia of APA St. Louis. “These are things like seizures, a coma-like state, confusion. Conversely, if it’s gastrointestinal, you’ll see symptoms typically set in within 12 hours of exposure. Usually that looks like vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy and general weakness.”
Dr. Garcia encourages pet owners to get their pets to the vet immediately if they suspect they have been exposed to blue-green algae. Neurological symptoms prove more fatal and are harder to treat, she adds.
“Use common sense and don’t let your pet go in any water you wouldn’t go in,” she said.
Animals can get sick after drinking affected water, but sometimes simply wading in the water is enough.
“They can lick themselves and just being in their skin, just the absorption that way, these toxins are very potent,” she said.
Many cities and counties continuously monitor varying levels of bacteria and plant life within bodies of water. Some experts predict varying levels of the bacteria are present in various ponds and lakes across the region, having not been detected yet.
Rain can alleviate blue-green algae by diluting it, but it can also create additional runoff, a primary source of nutrients the bacteria feed on, Zarlegna said.
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