Two puppies and two adult dogs have died after swimming in a popular lough in Co Fermanagh in the last three days.
The dogs, one of them just six months old, died within an hours of being near fresh water and concerns have been raised that they may have succumbed to toxins in algae bloom which attacked their livers.
Each of the dogs had been walking at Lough Melvin before they got sick, and for one owner, even a 15 minute dash to the vet tragically proved too long and her dogs passed away.
Read more: Canny dog refuses to give pregnancy cravings 3 years after she has pups
It remains unclear yet what may have caused the deaths but one theory is that it may be blue green toxin which is invisible to the naked eye, is found in fresh water in lakes, loughs, ponds and even rivers. It attacks the liver after being ingested through the dogs consuming water or licking their paws after swimming.
Four desperate owners raced to Lakeland Veterinary Services in Co Fermanagh as their pets started suffering seizures moments after getting out of Lough Melvin which us on the border with Co Leitrim in the Republic of Ireland.
DogsLive understand none of the dogs who died had actually been swimming in the water, but had been in contact sludge on the side of the lough.
Vet at the Lakeland practice, Aoife Ferris, treated three of the dogs who became ill after their activities at Lough Melvin. She said the situation was a tragedy for the dogs, deeply distressing for the owners and very difficult to handle as a vet.
And she warned: "Our warning is clear. Do not let your dogs near fresh water and especially stagnant water at the moment. The toxin associated with blue green algae blue is not visible to humans, it is not detectable by dogs and it can be a killer. In two days we had four dogs died after being in or around the same body of water.
"The owners are all devoted to their pets and the last thing they would do is knowingly put them at risk. But now we have families grieving for four dogs, two puppies and two adults dogs, all of them fit and healthy before their walk.
"The situation is shocking, distressing and completely heart breaking. But this toxin is so fast acting, so dangerous and it needs to be avoided at all costs. We had four cases in two days and all four dogs died. An absolute tragedy.
"The toxin attacks the liver and once the liver cannot filter toxins the other organs shut down and when that happens there is just no going back.
"We are advising and warning dog owners and dog walkers to stay away from fresh water while this algae is active. No evidence of the algae to the naked eye does not necessarily mean the water is safe. Please do not take the risk. Keep your dog on a lead near water, do not allow them to drink from the fresh water source, do not let them swim in it or even paddle or walk in it.
"Initially when we had the dogs come in to us this week, we thought there may be a chance the dogs could have suffered cardiac arrest but that would be very unusual in dogs and then we realised they'd all been near the same fresh water source. We believe they have died as a result of multi-organ failure brought on by exposure to the blue green algae toxins.
"This algae can appear as sludge that is brown in colour and as foam along the shore, as well as a green film over the water, but as it washes through areas it can be impossible to see.
"As we head into the weekend with warm weather we know people will want to get out and about with their dogs but we are urging caution. Please do not let your pet near any fresh water, especially stagnant water.
"The main treatment for a dog that has ingested these toxins is to induce vomiting but sadly we know it can be too late."
If your dog shows any of the following signs after drinking from, or swimming or paddling in water, contact your vet immediately and tell them you are concerned about blue-green algae:
- Seizures/fitting
- Vomiting
- Being sick
- Diarrhoea
- Weakness
- Collapse
- Unconsciousness
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Drooling
- Breathing difficulties
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency said an investigation for evidence of water pollution was carried out after the deaths of two dogs. They said: "No visual evidence of an algal bloom or any other signs of water pollution were detected," the agency said. As a precautionary measure samples have been collected for algal analyses."
Vets notified Fermanagh and Omagh District Council of their concerns, and a spokesperson said: "Dog owners should be aware of the dangers posed by poisonous plants and algae growing in the environment, but especially along riverbanks and in wet grassland or edges of lakes,"
Authorities in Republic of Ireland have also been informed.
- Nameless dog so neglected he had to be put to sleep by USPCA
- Dog death after Antrim Loughshore walk
- Tattoo event for dog lovers to raise funds for charity
- Human housing crisis hitting dogs first
- Dog trainers and others boycott pet awards in stand on welfare concerns
For all the latest dog news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here.
To get the latest dog news straight to your inbox sign up to our free newsletter
