Toxic Blue-Green Algae Found in Three Minneapolis Lakes
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Serious news, pups: lab tests have confirmed toxic levels of blue-green algae in Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, and Lake Nokomis. Exposure through drinking the water or even airborne water droplets can harm the liver and kidneys of pups and people, and in dogs, it can be fatal.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA), this “algae” isn’t really algae at all. It’s actually cyanobacteria, a type of bacteria that grows in warm, calm, sunny conditions – just the kind of weather we’ve been fur-tunate to have a lot of lately.
It’s an important reminder to be vigilant about protecting your pup. Here’s what you can do:
Avoid lakes altogether. When in doubt, stay the h*eck out. Until it’s ski-joring season, that is.
Learn how to spot toxic blue-green algae. The Animal Humane Society has posted a helpful guide to identifying the toxic blooms, saying they can resemble “thick, green paint or scum” and might also smell “swampy.” Delightful.
Have questions? You can call the MPCA’s water quality monitoring line at 651-757-2822.
(Photo by Jozef Fehér)
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