Toxic algae killed east coast dog after contact with St. Lucie River, owner says necropsy reveals

Toxic blue-green algae in the St. Lucie River killed Finn, a healthy 9-year-old standard poodle, a medical report shows.

A necropsy found cyanobacteria, the scientific name for blue-green algae, in Finn's blood, urine and liver, according to owner Misty Aydelotte of the Rio community.

"His insides were pretty much destroyed by it," Aydelotte said.

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Pathology reports also showed blue-green algae and microcystin, a toxin often found in the algae, in the blood, urine and vomit of Sammy, 7, and Savvy, 2, golden retrievers owned by Karin and Rob Torsiello of Palm City.

The dogs got into the North Fork of the St. Lucie River near the family home Sept. 8.

'We have proof positive'

"The algae made them sick," Karin Torsiello said Monday. "There's nothing else it could have been. I never doubted it, and the report just confirms it. We have proof positive. Now, let's do something about it."

In people, microcystin is known to cause nausea and vomiting if ingested and rash or hay fever symptoms if touched or inhaled. People who drink water with the toxins can suffer long-term liver disease.

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Torsiello said Savvy is recovering at home; Sammy was scheduled to go home Monday.

"The doctors said that at this point there's nothing else they can do for Sammy," she said. "I'm optimistic, but now every day she's with us is a blessing."

At least three other dogs got sick after having contact with the river, which has been polluted with toxic blue-green algae blooms in some areas since Lake Okeechobee discharges started in early June.

The algae also made its way to the Indian River Lagoon and the Caloosahatchee River. 

Other dogs, similar symptoms

All the dogs suffered serious liver damage and had internal bleeding. Most received plasma transfusions to help their blood clot so they wouldn't bleed to death.

Symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea within a few hours of contact with the water, followed by lethargy.

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The other dogs apparently sickened by the algae are:

• Stanley, a Chihuahua mix believed to be about 5 years old owned by Diane Arasa, who lives on the river in Stuart
• Pandora, a 2-year-old miniature Pomeranian, who had contact with the water near owner Becky Harris' riverfront home in Stuart
• Costa, a 4-year-old golden retriever who got in the river near owner Ashley Guzi's home in the Rio community

"All of them had been in the river and all had the same symptoms," Cristina Maldonado, a Stuart veterinarian who treated one dog and has talked with most of the other dogs' owners, told TCPalm last week. "It can't be a coincidence."

Owners of dogs with similar symptoms should tell veterinarians immediately if their pets have been in the river, Maldonado said.

Finn died Sept. 5 within 48 hours of sneaking out an open gate and getting in the river near the family's riverfront home. Aydelotte declined to name her dog's veterinarian, who told her Finn's necropsy by an outside lab confirmed the cyanobacteria poisoning.

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Aydelotte suspects Finn ate a dead fish covered with algae. Her husband, Alex Aydelotte, found fish parts in the dog's stool.

"There are dead fish on the riverbank all the time," Misty Aydelotte said.

In most cases, owners reported little or no visible algae where their dogs got in the river. 

To "bring a little happiness back into our house," the Aydelottes got a puppy — a 9-week-old golden doodle named Brody — a week ago.