The list keeps growing. .......
We must have very few plants in our gardens as many must not be eaten by our dogs, snails and slugs have to be removed so they dont eat them, no sticks to play with (sensible really), dont take them out in the car so you dont risk overheating them (dont go anywhere?), no walks in the day time when it is hot or again overheat them (up at 6 and not to bed til 11pm?)........plus more and now we cannot have a garden pond or paddling pool or allow our dogs to go in water elsewhere (you try stopping a water loving retriever) because it may have this blue green toxic algae on it, maybe, which can kill a dog in half an hour.
Anyway, how are we supposed to recognise it from any other algae especially as the add on is that it can be red or black too??? How dangerous is it and why have we not heard of it in years gone by when my dogs have jumped in every pond, ditch or puddle and lived to tell the tale?

I understand we should be made aware of potential risks but I am becoming more and more nervous about giving my boys the right care. Please can anyone tell me more about this algae so I can venture from my home again (no, not really that bad!).

Where I walk the local rangers check the loch and signs are put up to warn not to let dogs swim (should add mine are not swimmers).  My friend whos a vet will never let her dogs swim in a loch, pond etc. She lets them in flowing water i.e. streams, rivers.  Sorry not really giving you much of an answer, but do know about this algae and its horrific effects.

She lets them in flowing water i.e. streams, rivers.

same here--my dogs are fanatical swimmers and they all had a visit to the vet last week after developing a very unpleasant attack of the squits, which I attributed to swimming the the local lake. I make sure I take them to running water now and they much prefer it.

Somebody in my breed has just had a young dog die of digesting water with blue/green algae.

> same here--my dogs are fanatical swimmers and they all had a visit to the vet last week after developing a very unpleasant attack of the squits, which I attributed to swimming the the local lake. I make sure I take them to running water now and they much prefer it.

I won't let my dog swim in any still water, lake, pond, or slow-moving stream etc. after a long period of hot weather and/or during the summer. I guess I'm lucky though as I have the sea nearby, which keeps him more than happy!

I was worried about my local water park that has had blue/green algae in the last few years.  Calida went running off into the water a couple of weeks ago and I thought that there was blue/green algae and was worried sick but luckily checked with the water park the next day and they said it wasn't Cali was fine. 

I wouldn't allow my dogs in a river as one close by has some very fast flowing areas.

how do you know if its infected,can you see it or call up some where about it, i take my newfie to a resoviour which was naturally made and has fresh water trickling out the cliffs,local residents still go up there and drink the water when there is a water pipe shortage or burst,
im worried now as he does drink some when swiming
jo

Jo is there any wardens who check the reservoir? maybe you could contact them to find out.

This has some basic information :)

http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Blue_Green_Algae_Toxicity_in_Dogs

Thanks.
Someone else said it is fairly distinctive. It floats on the water surface and is usually quite large.
Also unlikely to be found in doggy paddling pool!
All I can say is thank goodness I never had kids........I worry SO much about my two dogs what would I have been like with kids too!!!?

Take care out there.

The sea isn't always a particuarly great in places with sewerage and natural water run off over farmland into the sea (Mawgan Porth,Watergatebay near me and  Ilfracombe Devon had serious incidents last year) and down the road from me at Porthpean there was an Algae that killed hundreds of fish last year.