a day ago
Dog owners seek safety solutions amid South Australia's deadly algal bloom
Walking along the beautiful sandy beaches near her home in South Brighton was a daily ritual for Alexandra Ahlgren since she moved to Adelaide from Sweden in 2007.
That changed with the arrival on Adelaide's shores of the deadly algal bloom.
"It got really bad here early July, with dead fish," Ms Ahlgren said.
She kept away both out of concern for her dogs' safety and because the sight of dead marine life strewn along the sand was so distressing.
While her "oldie goldie" Zoe was not a scavenger, Ms Ahlgren said her other dogs became a liability at the beach.
Labradoodle Ronja and staffy-cross rescue dog Mike were "like vacuum cleaners" and would try and eat every fish they came across.
So when Ms Ahlgren made her way down through the dunes during some recent sunny winter weather, it was the first time in nearly six weeks.
Ms Ahlgren was not optimistic the bloom would clear as the weather warmed and ordered muzzles.
At a cost of around $100 each, the muzzles will allow her dogs to keep visiting the beach during the spring and summer months, allowing them to pant and open their mouths wide enough to regulate temperature but prevent them from gobbling anything dead.
"I want to be prepared with good muzzles and try to work on some of my emotional coping skills to be back here on my beach," she said.
Ms Ahlgren believes beachgoers like herself will need to navigate a new normal where the bloom is just a part of their lives, albeit an unwelcome and tragic part.
"I think, unfortunately, we are in for the long haul because now it's just going to start warming up again," she said.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas confirmed this week that the bloom would likely impact the coast throughout the spring and summer months.
Michael Quinton is a keen surfer and dedicated veterinarian.
He was one of the original surfers to feel ill after surfing at Parsons and Waitpinga beaches, south of Victor Harbor, in March.
Dr Quinton said at that time he saw a spike in dogs being brought to his practice with respiratory issues.
He said he also saw a number of canines with "non-specific gastrointestinal issues" that he believed were a result of them eating rotting material on the beaches.
Dr Quinton said many local dog owners started to walk their dogs away from the beach or on-lead and the issue quickly passed.
Dr Quinton said it was normal for his practice to treat a few dogs each year that came into contact with puffer fish, but did not believe the algal bloom had led to an increase in incidences.
However, he said puffer fish could be deadly for dogs and said if anyone did see or suspect that their dog had eaten one, they should take it to a vet immediately.
For dog owners returning to the beach in the warm weather, Dr Quinton recommended investing in a comfortable, soft muzzle to prevent their dogs from picking up dead fish.
"It's for the greater good," he said.
The Department for Primary Industries and Resources SA's (PIRSA) chief veterinary officer, Skye Fruean, said it was expected that dogs and humans would have similar mild reactions to contact with the algae.
She said dog owners should not let their dogs go into discoloured or foamy water, but if that did occur, to wash them off as soon as possible.
Dr Fruean said it was always good practice to make sure dogs did not pick up dead fish.
"Eating rotten, dead fish could have a direct effect in terms of contact with algae," she said.
"But it's also if it's decomposing, that can also make dogs sick for other reasons in terms of giving them an upset tummy."
Dr Freun said there had been no cases reported to PIRSA of dogs falling ill as a result of contact with the bloom.
"I'm aware … of one anecdotal report, going back a little while now, where there was a suggested link with illness in a dog being linked to the algal bloom," she said.
"We haven't had any verification of that and our broad advice is if you are concerned about your dog's health please, go see your vet."
