This year, month of august started with flood of news, reporting several mortalities in dogs in various parts of United States because of the toxic blue green algae which commonly bloom in lakes and rivers every year in summers. It was the black month when heart of many dog owners mourned by painful good byes of their fur babies. Pet owners were unaware about such algae and couldn’t even reach to the veterinary hospital for supportive therapy.
It is not the first time that it happened, many pets, fishes, birds and wild animals have lost their lives in past also because of toxic algae bloom but this year it is more pronounced and mortality got more attention of media which in turn positively helped other pet owners to prevent the same mishappening with their pets.
I will not go in scientific details about the blue green algae. All we need to know is blue green algae is actually not an algae but bacterial cells which derive their energies through photosynthesis with the use of blue green pigments (phycobillins) and this bacteria is called cyanobacteria because of its peculiar bluish green color. They have been on earth for at least 2.1 billion years. Cyanobacteria bloom in water around the world and are found culprit to cause toxicity and deaths in over fifty countries world wide including thirty five states of USA.
It is now a topic of concern because of warm weather and increasing nutrient pollutants particularly some nitrates and phosphate run off (which may originate from fertilizers used for the agricultural purposes) that fueled the problem of cyanobacteria in surface water used for recreation, irrigation, drinking, bathing constitute risk of public health and life of animals.
-Take a closer look at water, if water looks murky or unappealing and there is presence of bluish green or bright green (brown when decaying) specs floating or large surface scum, it is better to avoid such water bodies.
-Many state agencies update the condition of affected water bodies on their websites or lifts up algae bloom warnings at popular beaches, lakes and river. So be updated with cyanobacteria tracker.
Clinical signs and symptoms depends on the toxins (microcystins and Anatoxins are most common types) involved, like exposure of mycrocystins results in liver damage. Animal will show clinical signs like vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stools or black tarry stools, weakness, pale mucous membrane, jaundice, seizures , disorientation, coma and shock. Death generally follows within days because of liver failure.
Exposure to anatoxins results in neurotoxicity causes excessive salivation, lacrimation, muscle tremors, muscle rigidity, paralysis, blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane and difficult breathing. Death follows within minutes to hours of exposure because of respiratory paralysis.
Complete blood count and Serum biochemistry can show high levels of alkaline phosphatase and bile acids.
I hope pet owners will find this article helpful and can prevent happening of such tragic incidences in future.
It is not the first time that it happened, many pets, fishes, birds and wild animals have lost their lives in past also because of toxic algae bloom but this year it is more pronounced and mortality got more attention of media which in turn positively helped other pet owners to prevent the same mishappening with their pets.
Although the occurrence of bloom event is comparatively less in Indian water bodies but it is not rare. Padmakumar et al. (2008) reported cyanobacteria bloom of Microcystis aeruginosa which sprung up in shore waters of Kerala. D'Silva et al. (2012) published a research paper on Algae bloom: a perspective from the coast of India, in which they have mentioned details about different types of algae bloom in our coastal areas and reported mortalities due to bloom. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka witnessed hospitalisation of eighty five people and death of three in 1982 & 1984 due to paralytic fish poisoning caused by consumption of bloom affected clams. In Kerala, five hundred people hospitalised and seven people died after consuming bloom affected mussels in 1997, while another bloom in 2004 caused large scale fish mortality and hospitalisation of 200 people. Hedge et al . (2008) observed the growth of Trichodesmium erythraeum in south east coast of Bay Of Bengal from remotely sensed images. In west and east coast of India, Cyanobacteria bloom is most common cause of massive fish mortality because of which HAB (harmful algae bloom) research and monitoring programme is being initiated and funded by Ministry Of Earth Science (MOES) with Center Of Marine Living Resources & Ecology. This programme envisage extensive monitoring of HAB's in Indian Exclusive Economic Zones.Mortality in pets due to toxic algae is not well reported in India, may be because of unawarness or such cases are really rare, whatever the reason may be, we should atleast have some information for self awareness regarding such algae and their lethal effects.
- What is the blue green algae?
I will not go in scientific details about the blue green algae. All we need to know is blue green algae is actually not an algae but bacterial cells which derive their energies through photosynthesis with the use of blue green pigments (phycobillins) and this bacteria is called cyanobacteria because of its peculiar bluish green color. They have been on earth for at least 2.1 billion years. Cyanobacteria bloom in water around the world and are found culprit to cause toxicity and deaths in over fifty countries world wide including thirty five states of USA.It is now a topic of concern because of warm weather and increasing nutrient pollutants particularly some nitrates and phosphate run off (which may originate from fertilizers used for the agricultural purposes) that fueled the problem of cyanobacteria in surface water used for recreation, irrigation, drinking, bathing constitute risk of public health and life of animals.
- Recognize algae bloom and prevent its exposure:
-Take a closer look at water, if water looks murky or unappealing and there is presence of bluish green or bright green (brown when decaying) specs floating or large surface scum, it is better to avoid such water bodies.
-Many state agencies update the condition of affected water bodies on their websites or lifts up algae bloom warnings at popular beaches, lakes and river. So be updated with cyanobacteria tracker.
- Clinical signs after exposure of cyanobacteria:
Clinical signs and symptoms depends on the toxins (microcystins and Anatoxins are most common types) involved, like exposure of mycrocystins results in liver damage. Animal will show clinical signs like vomiting, diarrhea, blood in stools or black tarry stools, weakness, pale mucous membrane, jaundice, seizures , disorientation, coma and shock. Death generally follows within days because of liver failure.
Exposure to anatoxins results in neurotoxicity causes excessive salivation, lacrimation, muscle tremors, muscle rigidity, paralysis, blue discoloration of the skin and mucous membrane and difficult breathing. Death follows within minutes to hours of exposure because of respiratory paralysis.
- Diagnosis :
Complete blood count and Serum biochemistry can show high levels of alkaline phosphatase and bile acids.
- Treatment :
Unfortunately, there is no antidote against cyanobacteria but one clinical trial on rats found Cholestyramine as an effective antidote, although more research is required to be done in case of dogs and other animals. Most of the time this blue green algae results in sudden death within few hours of exposure and owners are unable to figure out cause of illness. By the time they decide to hit veterinary hospital it gets too late.
Few fortunate pets could make it to the hospital and receive supportive treatment includes anti seizures ,oxygen therapy ,antibiotics, intravenous fluid therapy ,mucosal protectant,vitamins,drugs to remove toxins from gastrointestinal tract and sometimes activated charcoal.I hope pet owners will find this article helpful and can prevent happening of such tragic incidences in future.
