In the Land of Waterfalls the last thing we want to hear is there is a danger lurking in the water – a toxin that may, or may not yet be visible. However, in a tragic turn of events earlier this month, three dogs died within hours after swimming in a Wilmington area pond laced with a toxic blue green algae bloom.

And that's not the end of it. A dog in Georgia as well as four dogs in Texas have also died in the last couple of weeks — all from the harmful effects of swimming in waters with toxic algae blooms.
Flickr/Sheri
Although the pond shown here is not the North Carolina pond responsible for the tragic and sudden deaths of the three dogs, this image of a pond in Swepsonville, NC (near Burlington) shows a toxic algae bloom. It also shows water that appears to be clearer on the far side of the pond.
Wikimedia/Ildar Sagdejev
However, you never know what's lurking underneath the waters, even in waters nearby your home. You may want to resolve to keep your beloved canine family members out of the water entirely for the time being.
Flickr/IsabellHubert
Algae blooms are usually green in color; however, due to their photosynthetic components, they can take on other colors as well.
Wikimedia/Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon - NASA Earth Observatory

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To further confuse the matter, not all algae is harmful; in fact, for practical purposes and to simplify things, it's lumped into two categories: freshwater algae — and harmful algae.
Wikimedia/NOAA MESA Project
So how do you tell the difference? The easy, yet difficult to hear, answer is you can't unless the water is tested.
Wikimedia/public domain
The toxic algae contains microscopic phytoplankton that are too small for the naked eye to see. While humans are less adversely affected by the harmful effects of phytoplankton, dogs who get into the toxic blue green algae can begin showing signs within minutes, but symptoms can take up to several hours to appear.
Wikimedia/Prof. Gordon T. Taylor, Stony Brook University
Excessive drooling, foaming at the mouth, vomiting, stumbling, diarrhea, abdominal tenderness, and muscle twitches or seizures are symptoms to keep a keen eye out for. Unfortunately most dogs who swim in the toxic blue green algae won't survive for more than a few hours.
Wikimedia/NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory - 3132

It’s important to note that toxic blue green algae has not been reported in widespread locations throughout North Carolina. This was an incident localized to a single pond near Wilmington. However, phytoplankton are known to develop and thrive in still waters that are exposed to harsh sunlight for long periods of time.

Also, none of the photos in this article depict the pond where the three North Carolina dogs swam and died soon after in the recent tragic event. These photos are meant to illustrate both clean water that’s contaminated as well as water that is obviously covered in algae and also contaminated. Please use the images as a means of educating yourself and (other) dog owners about just what to look for and avoid to keep your pets safe.

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