More Summertime Warnings
On Monday, July 2, 2007 the Monroe Evening News printed a story about a dog dying after swimming in a lake covered with algae. Tyrone Lake in Livingston County was covered with blue-green algae when Bob Tatus of Hartland Township took his 9 month old border collie for a swim. The dog died the next day. He said he saw the copious algae, but didn’t think anything of it. Would you swim in goop like that? So why let your pet swim in it?
In the extreme heat of summer animals do things that they might not normally do. They tend to drink anything just to cool off and the toxins released by algae are just one of the things that can kill your pet.
Antifreeze not only quenches a thirst, but it tastes great too. But it is just as deadly as rat poison. And when your pet is hot and looking for anything to drink, it goes down very quickly.
Owners need to be very careful when out with their pets in this type of weather. Even if on a leash, things encountered on a side walk can be gulped down before the owner realizes what happened. Food baking in the sun all day may contain deadly bacteria, dead animals which may have been poisoned themselves, contaminated water, and even toxic substances that adhere to the paws are all easily ingested and can cause severe illness and death.
In this heat, animals may not heed their instincts of self preservation and may eat or drink ANYTHING. Don’t let them eat or drink anything that you yourself would not ingest. If they do consume something you question, call your veterinarian right away. It is up to you to guard your pets against these threats and to make sure your summer is a safe and fun one.