Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with acute microcystin poisoning from Kansas lake algae bloom
By van der Merwe, Deon et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2012·Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Investigation of a Microcystis aeruginosa cyanobacterial freshwater harmful algal bloom associated with acute microcystin toxicosis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog was brought to the vet after swimming in a lake and showing signs of severe illness, including vomiting and liver failure. The dog had been exposed to harmful algae that produced a toxin called microcystin, which was confirmed in both the lake water and the dog's vomit and liver samples. Despite aggressive treatment, the dog's condition worsened rapidly, leading to euthanasia due to extensive liver damage and other complications. This tragic case highlights the dangers of harmful algal blooms in freshwater bodies.
People also search for: dog vomiting after swimming · microcystin poisoning in dogs · harmful algae bloom symptoms in pets
Abstract
Microcystin poisoning was diagnosed in a dog exposed to a Microcystis aeruginosa-dominated, freshwater, harmful algal bloom at Milford Lake, Kansas, which occurred during the summer of 2011. Lake water microcystin concentrations were determined at intervals during the summer, using competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and indicated extremely high, localized microcystin concentrations of up to 126,000 ng/ml. Multiple extraction and analysis techniques were used in the determination of free and total microcystins in vomitus and liver samples from the poisoned dog. Vomitus and liver contained microcystins, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and the presence of microcystin-LR was confirmed in vomitus and liver samples using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Major toxic effects in a dog presented for treatment on the day following exposure included fulminant liver failure and coagulopathy. The patient deteriorated rapidly despite aggressive treatment and was euthanized. Postmortem lesions included diffuse, acute, massive hepatic necrosis and hemorrhage, as well as acute necrosis of the renal tubular epithelium. A diagnosis of microcystin poisoning was based on the demonstration of M. aeruginosa and microcystin-LR in the lake water, as well as in vomitus produced early in the course of the poisoning; the presence of microcystin-LR in liver tissue; and a typical clinical course including gastroenteritis and fulminant liver failure.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22604771/