A Bad Kind of Bloom

I recently received some information from the state veterinarian's office about a blue-green algae (Cyanobacter) bloom in Pleasant Lake near Fairfield. While that won't likely affect any of us algae blooms can occur in any body of water and can be a threat to people and pets. The report stated that "Blue-green algae blooms can occur in warm, slow moving waters that are rich in nutrients such as fertilizer runoff or septic tank overflows. Blooms can occur in late summer or early fall. Within a few days a bloom can cause clear water to become cloudy. The blooms usually float to the surface and can be many inches thick, especially near the shoreline. Microcystin toxin is released by the algae. Both humans and animals can get microcystin poisoning from exposure to contaminated water. Animals can get sick if they have been swimming in water where algae blooms have been and ingest significant amounts of water containing microcystim toxin by licking themselves after leaving the water. In addition, animals can be exposed to fatal doses of microcystin toxin if they drink from the water's edge where scum layers accumulate." Microcystin is a liver toxin. Symptons can include weakness, reluctance to move, lack of appetite, pale mucous membranes (eg. gums, conjunctiva) confusion and/or behavior changes, acute liver failure and/or death.