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Stay out of the (scummy) water.
That's the word from the Utah County Health Department, which reported Tuesday that a dog died over the weekend after playing at Utah Lake's Lindon Marina and drinking water contaminated by blue-green algae toxin. The algae, cyanobacteria, are sometimes called "pond scum."
TheLabrador retriever apparently became lethargic and started vomiting about 45 minutes after playing in the lake, and died soon after, the health department said in a news release.
Dogs are often vulnerable because they swim in ponds and lakes.
Toxins that sometimes are a byproduct of blue-green algae are suspected in the dog's death. Water samples were sent Tuesday to a laboratory to confirm the presence of a toxin in Utah Lake.
It was unclear whether the dog's death is the first reported in Utah, but Carl Adams, Utah Department of Water Quality program manager, said blue-green algae were also the culprit when three cows and 15 calves died 10 years ago. The cattle were drinking from Matt Warner Reservoir in northeastern Utah.
It also caused problems this summer at Lake Erie.
Cyanobacteria is not on the list of illnesses that doctors, hospitals and veterinarians are required to report, said Cyndi Bemis, a Utah Health Department spokeswoman.
The Utah County Health Department advises humans to stay out of areas of the lake where algae drift on the surface or are pushed by wind into coves, marinas, or other still or stagnant water.
"The first advice is don't drink the lake water. Period," said Lance Madigan, a county health department spokesman. "Stay away from the fluorescent green floating stuff."
The lake has several beaches, he said, but water-skiing and jet-skiing are less common now that temperatures are cooler.
The blue-green algae blooms have been reported in recent days at the Lindon Marina and Utah Lake State Park in Provo.
Blooms can come and go day by day, and it's not obvious when they are producing toxins, Madigan said.
Algae develop and die off as a natural part of the lake biology, occuring most often in late summer or early fall, Adams said, and surface in many bodies of water in Utah.
"The bright green coloring of the water is actually a photosynthetic bacteria that grows quickly when given sunlight and nutrients such as phosphorus," he said, according to the news release.
He likened the color of the algae to car radiator fluid.
"Algae blooms can last for days or weeks, depending on weather conditions," Adams said. "Calm, warm and sunny conditions promote blue-green algae growth, so it is possible the bloom will persist at least through the weekend."
Madigan said the bacteria cannot be absorbed through the skin and must be ingested to cause a problem.
Symptoms of toxin exposure include stomach cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, headache, fever, muscle weakness and/or difficulty breathing. Those exposed should see a doctor, the health department said.
More information is available at http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/hab/.
Twitter: @KristenMoulton