Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with vomiting and liver failure after blue-green algae poisoning
By DeVries, S E et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·1993·Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical and pathologic findings of blue-green algae (Microcystis aeruginosa) intoxication in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A healthy dog became lethargic and started vomiting after drinking water from a tide pool contaminated with blue-green algae. Unfortunately, the dog developed severe liver failure and had to be euthanized just over two days later. A necropsy revealed significant liver damage, which was linked to the toxic algae known as Microcystis aeruginosa. This case highlights the dangers of allowing pets to drink from stagnant or contaminated water sources.
People also search for: dog vomiting after drinking water · blue-green algae poisoning in dogs · dog lethargy and liver failure · what to do if dog drinks contaminated water
Abstract
A healthy dog developed signs of lethargy and vomiting after ingesting water from a tide pool containing blue-green algae. Fulminant hepatic failure occurred, and the dog was euthanized 52 hours later. At necropsy, the liver was large, friable, and discolored a dark red. Histopathology showed hepatocyte dissociation, degeneration, and necrosis. The alga was identified as Microcystis aeruginosa, a known hepatotoxin. The intraperitoneal administration of lyophilized cell material from the bloom caused hepatic necrosis in mice.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8373855/