ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) —A local veterinarian is warning pet owners about a dangerous toxin that isn’t commonly found in the area.

Dr. Amber Love of Bush Animal Clinic says a black Labrador retriever was recently brought in with drooling, vomiting, and paralysis in its back leg after swimming in a retention pond. Love says she was initially puzzled, but after researching the symptoms, she determined the dog had been exposed to blue-green algae — believed to be the first confirmed case at the clinic.

“So, internally I may freak out a little bit, but I got to stay calm and try to, you know, figure out what’s going on, tell myself that, you know, I was trained for this and I got to figure out exactly what’s going on with the patient because they can’t talk to us,” Love said. “And so you just kind of have to think, well, he went into the pond and was normal, and coming out, he was not. So, what’s in that pond?”

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says blue-green algae is a toxin-producing bacterium that can harm both animals and people. Love says that if a pet comes into contact with it, it can affect a dog in two ways: it may cause neurological symptoms, or it can slowly damage the liver over time.

Love believes that due to fluctuating weather, blue-green algae is blooming earlier and lingering longer than usual because the sustained summer heat that typically kills it off hasn’t been consistent.

“I would monitor my pets as far as letting them get into any kind of holding water that does not have flowing water,” Love said. “As long as it is aerated and has that kind of hydration going to that pond, or if there’s like a flowing water going to the pond, that is a different story. If it is a holding pond, it is more susceptible to having those bad things that our pets do not need to encounter.”

Love says if you think your pet may have come into contact with it, get them to a veterinarian immediately. Without treatment, exposure can be fatal within 48 hours.

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, Instagram and X. For more South Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.