Pet House owners Urged to Keep away from Texas Lake After Canine Dies Following Swim

Officers are advising pet homeowners to keep away from bringing their animals to Lake Travis close to Level Enterprise, Texas, after a canine died following a July 4 swim within the lake.

The Decrease Colorado River Authority (LCRA) reported the canine’s demise on Fb on July 5 and issued a warning to pet dad and mom relating to Lake Travis, highlighting the potential risks lake algae poses to animals.

“LCRA has obtained a report {that a} canine died after swimming in Lake Travis close to Level Enterprise. Check outcomes from samples taken within the space will not be obtainable for a number of days. We proceed to encourage folks to maintain pets out of the lake close to Level Enterprise and to keep away from contact with all algae, which may produce harmful cyanotoxins at any time,” the company wrote on social media.

In keeping with the Austin-American Statesman, officers additionally suggested canine homeowners to keep away from all the Texas Highlands Lakes, a sequence of interconnected freshwater reservoirs, which incorporates Lake Travis.

The outlet added that the majority lake algae vegetation pose no threats to pets or folks, however some algae vegetation that populate lakes, like cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, can result in demise if ingested.

In keeping with the Canine Well being Middle at Cornell, blue-green algae can considerably have an effect on a canine’s liver and nervous system.

Canine danger getting sick from algae by ingesting it. Canine typically ingest algae by licking themselves after spending time within the water or carrying one thing with algae of their mouths.

In keeping with the LCRA, signs of harmful algae publicity in canine embody “drooling, rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, weak spot, issue respiration, lack of vitality and urge for food, stumbling and falling, foaming on the mouth, seizures, and even demise.”

By no means miss a narrative — join PEOPLE’s free each day publication to remain up-to-date on the very best of what PEOPLE has to supply, from superstar information to forcing human curiosity tales.

People “expertise eye irritation or rashes” after contact with harmful forms of algae, like cyanobacteria, and may have extra extreme reactions if the algae is by accident ingested, per CBS Austin.

The LCRA inspired pet homeowners to keep away from areas with algae, rinse their pets off after contact with water which will include algae, present pets with clear, contemporary consuming water, and go to the vet instantly if their canine change into sick following a lake swim.

Moreover, people can cut back the expansion of harmful algae in lakes by choosing up after their pets and utilizing much less garden fertilizer to “assist cut back man-made sources of vitamins” algae vegetation must thrive.