Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
🚨 If your dog likes to swim in or drink from lakes, watch out for harmful algal blooms (HABs)! These blooms produce toxins that can damage the liver, skin, and central nervous system. In this video, Dr. Carly Fox, Senior Veterinarian in the Emergency and Critical Care Service at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in NYC, discusses harmful algal blooms (also known as blue-green algae): how to identify them, signs that your dog may have been exposed to one, and what to do if they have.
đź’§ Harmful algal blooms thrive in freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds during the summer and fall. Look out for floating mats, scums, or discolored water in shades of green, blue-green, yellow, or brown. HABs can also appear as foam, froth, or film on the surface of the water.
⚠️ HABs are highly poisonous to all animals, including humans, but dogs are especially vulnerable due to their tendency to swim in or drink from any water source. It's often difficult to distinguish HABs from non-harmful algae, so when in doubt, keep your dog out!
đźšż If your dog gets into suspicious water, remove them immediately and prevent them from licking their fur or paws. Use a towel to remove the debris, then wash your dog with soap and clean water using rubber gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Monitor your dog for signs of illness, including diarrhea, vomiting, excessive drooling, foaming at the mouth, or stumbling.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides an interactive map showing where harmful algal blooms have been detected and allows you to report any you encounter.
đź”— on.ny.gov/nyhabs
🚨 If your dog likes to swim in or drink from lakes, watch out for harmful algal blooms (HABs)! These blooms produce toxins that can damage the liver, skin, and central nervous system. In this video, Dr. Carly Fox, Senior Veterinarian in the Emergency and Critical Care Service at Schwarzman Animal Medical Center in NYC, discusses harmful algal blooms (also known as blue-green algae): how to identify them, signs that your dog may have been exposed to one, and what to do if they have.
đź’§ Harmful algal blooms thrive in freshwater lakes, rivers, and ponds during the summer and fall. Look out for floating mats, scums, or discolored water in shades of green, blue-green, yellow, or brown. HABs can also appear as foam, froth, or film on the surface of the water.
⚠️ HABs are highly poisonous to all animals, including humans, but dogs are especially vulnerable due to their tendency to swim in or drink from any water source. It's often difficult to distinguish HABs from non-harmful algae, so when in doubt, keep your dog out!
đźšż If your dog gets into suspicious water, remove them immediately and prevent them from licking their fur or paws. Use a towel to remove the debris, then wash your dog with soap and clean water using rubber gloves. Wash your hands thoroughly afterward. Monitor your dog for signs of illness, including diarrhea, vomiting, excessive drooling, foaming at the mouth, or stumbling.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides an interactive map showing where harmful algal blooms have been detected and allows you to report any you encounter.
đź”— on.ny.gov/nyhabs
