A dog owner has shared the terrifying moment she had to rush her beloved Border Collie to the vets after being poisoned by algae while playing in the water.
Seven-month old Piper had to be hooked up to an IV fluid drip after cooling down at Pollok and Kevlingrove Park in Glasgow.
Now, her owner is urging others to be cautious of blue-green algae which can be present at low water levels.
The algae can contain a number of toxins which are harmful to dogs and can be deadly, Glasgow Live reports.
Piper was given three rounds of activation charcoals after swimming near the waterfall at Pollok Park, as well as needing bloods tests to check her organs aren't damaged.
Her owner was left annoyed and shocked after realising there was only one small poster in the park notifying dog owners and walkers of the blue-green algae in the water.
The posters were erected after another border collie died from poisoning in 2021 at the park.
Piper's owner, who didn't want to be named, said: "She was in the water at the waterfall across from Pollok House, there were men and boys in the waterfall as well swimming.
"She was on her lead paddling in the shallow stones part and took a couple of laps out of the water.
"We left and as we were crossing the bridge, noticed an A4 piece of paper at knee height warning of green-blue algae which you wouldn’t see if someone was walking past you or unless your eyes were looking down that low. Walking through the park to the car there were no other signs or posters.
"We called the vet immediately who told us to get there as quickly as they could because they need to start the treatment as quickly as possible.
"We were there within 20 minutes and she was taken immediately to be bathed to ensure there was no residue on her coat, put on an IV for fluids to flush the toxins out, and given activated charcoal, then the same again the following day all day.
"She had blood tests this morning to check if there’s been any damage to her organs which thankfully there hasn’t and has now been given a clean bill of health."
Last year, the Mirror reported how a Border Collie puppy Jess died from Gillian McCamley after being taken for a walk in the park during the heatwave on July 25.
After allowing her to cool off in the water at White Cart believing there was no risk in the flowing water, she tragically came into contact with highly toxic blooms and lost her life.
Symptoms of ingesting the toxins can appear within a few minutes or hours, and commonly include vomiting, diarrhoea, disorientation, breathing difficulties and seizures.
Any owners who are concerned that their dog has come into contact with blue-green algae are urged to consult their vet immediately.
