Summer is in full bloom, but there’s one particular bloom this season you should know about to keep you and your pets safe.
Cyanobacterial blooms can be in many colors and found in stagnant and flowing water. Carolee Cooper with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said they can look like paint or scum that has been poured into the water.
"If it looks weird or if it smells really, like decaying plant matter, that might be something that you would want to report."
They occur naturally, but with warmer weather and increased food source from nitrogen and phosphorus-rich agricultural run-off, cyanobacterial blooms are more prevalent and release more of their neurotoxin. The blooms can harm people and pets who are exposed at a high level.
Scientists used to think that this toxin was released by algae, but it’s actually the cyanobacteria that creates the poison—Cooper told me their current name for the issue,
"We like to be more specific and call them cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms."
Or its nickname, CyanoHABs.
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare relies on Idahoans to report areas of water they suspect have CyanoHABs. The area is then tested by department officials, and if confirmed, it will be listed on the Water Health Advisory Map.
Breathing in water vapor, swimming and playing in, drinking, or eating fish from water that has cyanobacteria blooms can cause health issues in people.
Cooper said symptoms may be "skin or eye irritation for people. Some nauseousness, vomiting, and in severe cases, even death."
Idaho does not have a recorded death from cyanobacterial blooms in people. But, that is not the same story for animals. Cattle, wild animals and pets all tend to be more at risk for poisoning from the toxin.
"Because they drink the water, they swim in it, they get it on their fur, they lick that fur and get a much higher concentration of that toxin," said Cooper.
After exposure to a body of water, if you are seeing symptoms like loss of energy, diarrhea and vomiting in your pet, they need to see an emergency vet because they may have been poisoned by a cyanobacterial bloom, which can be fatal.
Cooper said the Water Health Advisory map is your guide to avoid health scares.
"We don't want anybody to be scared of recreating in Idaho, but definitely do your due diligence."
We are seeing higher CyanoHABs in Idaho because of warmer environments from climate change, higher food availability from increased agriculture run-off, and better testing practices. They can occur year-round, but the heaviest season for blooms is June through August or sometimes September, depending on temperatures.
