A dog has died following swimming in Lake Tahoe prompting officials to conduct tests to determine if a toxic form of algae is present on the shoreline of Lake Tahoe, reports the Tahoe Daily Tribune.
A person reported last week that their dog had died after swimming in the lake near the Tallac Historic Site on Tahoe’s South Shore, according to Doug Smith, assistant executive officer with the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board. Staff from Lahontan and El Dorado County visited the site the following day to take samples from the area where the owner said the dog was swimming. The staff did not see signs of a bloom, but they proceeded to take multiple samples, Smith told the Tribune.
As a precaution, signs have been posted in the area near the Tallac Historic Site alerting visitors of the possible presence of toxic algae. It is unclear if exposure to algae was responsible for the death of the dog in South Lake Tahoe. Smith said an autopsy was not performed and the dog has since been cremated.
We have a dog named Summer and she recently got VERY sick after swimming and being in Lake Tahoe just outside of the Tahoe Keys. As many know, the Tahoe Keys are highly infested with Algae. She got sick a little over a month ago, it was like a light switch. She had all of the symptoms of blue/green algae sickness and we had to rush her to the vet. We took her to Round Hill Animal Hospital (Dr. Kelly is amazing!) and were advised to take her to UC Davis. We were able to get her to UC Davis after an excruciating long drive. We are still not positive if it was the lake that made her sick, but pet owners be extra cautious. We have stopped taking her to the beach all together.
I am so beyond sad to hear about another dog passing. God Bless that dog and family!
The wetland waters near that site might be more likely to have the toxic cyanobacteria algal bloom. It is adjacent to the Tallac area and Kiva beach which is a strip of sand between the wetlands and the lake where dogs are allowed. I would keep dogs away from the wetland water and it’s outlet
between Kiva and Baldwin Beaches as a precaution.