Royal Parks Police shared the picture of the algae-affected river on Twitter
(Picture: Royal Parks Police)London dog owners have been warned of toxic algae building in waterways during the heatwave after a pet became ill on Monday.
Royal Parks Police said the dog had been in water in Bushy Park, Richmond when it became unwell.
“It was taken to a vet who believes a build up in algae due to hot weather may be the reason,” police said.
Algae is set to be a common sight on London’s waterways this month with record temperatures hitting the capital.
Blue Cross animal welfare charity said blue-green algae can produce harmful toxins which stop a dog’s liver from functioning properly.
The charity told the Standard: “Exposure to toxic blue-green algae is often fatal, and can also cause long term health problems in dogs that survive after drinking or swimming in algae-contaminated water.
“Call your vet immediately if you suspect poisoning. Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog just 15 minutes to an hour after drinking contaminated water.
"Dogs who have been swimming in water can get the algae caught in their fur, and can ingest it while cleaning themselves later on."
Common symptoms in dogs of algae consumption include vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures or fitting, unconsciousness, confusion, drooling and breathing difficulties.
“There is no antidote for the toxins produced by the bacteria, but if caught early enough, your vet will likely try to make your dog sick and attempt to flush the toxins from the body before they take hold,” the Blue Cross added.
The Kennel Club shared a similar warning to dog owners about algae, which it said is most common in mid or late summer and after a heatwave.
In the UK, incidents of blue-green algae can be reported to the Environment Agency which has a 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
