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Dogs ingest a lot of water as they swim. You have to be wary of what could be in the water.

It started as a happy day for Francis and his puppy, Kiana. But it would end in tragedy.

The Utah family went to Zion National Park to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Naturally, the weather that day was warm. And so Francis and Kiana began swimming in a pond.

Kiana and Francis were having a great time in the water.

When they were done, they both got out of the water and dried off.

But then, around a minute after Francis and Kiana got out of the water, the dog started acting strangely.

“She got a little frantic, front paws bent underneath her […] She was trying to walk with them, but they wouldn’t work.” – Francis’s mom.

Then the puppy started having a seizure. Her entire body was shaking.

Francis and his mother became incredibly worried. Panicking, they rushed back to their car, carrying Kiana along the way.

Eventually, the family made it to the vet. But by this time, Kiana was already very weak.

Just a few minutes later, the dog passed away in the mother’s arms.

Kiana had only just joined the family a few months before. She was a tenth birthday present for Francis.

The vet was soon able to identify the issue. While Kiana and Francis were playing in the pond, the dog swallowed a toxic algae called cyanobacteria.

“There’s a bacterium called a cyanobacteria, which is a severe neurotoxin. And it’s amazing how fast it can work. It does. It kills a dog within an hour or two.” – Doctor Jeff Werber.

The doctor also explained to Inside Edition that when dogs go into the water, they ingest significant amounts of water, which makes them particularly susceptible to toxic algae.

Humans know to not drink unclean water. Dogs do not have the same mentality.

Toxic algae is found in non-flowing freshwater sources, such as lakes and ponds, in hot seasons.

There is also a risk of it growing in pools and ponds in yards, if the pools/ponds are not cleaned regularly.

Clearly, prevention is the best precaution in this instance. Keep your dog away from ponds, lakes and similar unclean water sources.

And if you suspect that your dog has been swimming in a body of water that contains toxic algae, then a good precaution to take is to rinse them. Dogs can ingest toxic algae from licking their fur. After that, it’s best to take them to the vet just in case.

Sadly, instances of dogs dying after ingesting toxic algae are too common in America.

For instance, in 2019, three dogs died after playing in the same pond in North Carolina. One died after swimming in a lake in Georgia. And three died after swimming in a lake in Texas.

Yes, the odds of a dog dying from ingesting toxic algae are still slim on the whole. But as Kiana’s tragic story shows, it can happen.

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Source: Inside Edition, American Kennel Club