Image Credit: Kristin Awde via Global News

By Amy Judd & Travis Lowe / Global News

Blue-Green Algae

Questions remain after 7-month-old puppy dies after swimming in algae-infested Nicola Lake

Jul 10, 2025 | 7:01 AM

MERRITT — Owners of a dog who died after swimming in Nicola Lake near Merritt are warning about the dangers of blue-green algae.

Kristin Awde told Global News that her seven-month-old puppy, Romie, became ill and died after being in the water for less than an hour on June 30.

“[The vet] said if she’s gotten into an algae bloom his liver will shut down and she said I don’t think there is anything we can do for him,” Awde said. “And he died basically right after that.”

“I think I’m still in shock to be perfectly honest.”

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In an online post on Canada Day, Phases Veterinary Emergency Hospital in Kamloops posted that over the weekend they have treated several suspected cases of blue-green algae from the Nicola Lake region.

“This type of algae is highly toxic, potentially leading to death in a matter of hours. We have yet to confirm these cases, however, we recommend avoiding these areas and keeping pets out of the water,” the organization wrote.

Maple Ridge vet, Dr. Adrian Walton, told Global News that runoff from farm and dairy operations can get flushed into some of the local streams. When the weather is sunny and hot, algae blooms can occur.

“The most one is this thing called cyanobacteria,” Walton said.

“It’s a type of algae, but unfortunately, just like we have red tide, these algae produce these chemical compounds that will not only cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhoea, but also localized seizures. So we’ll oftentimes have these animals coming in, foaming at the mouth, and full-on clonic seizures, grand mal seizures.”

Walton added that if a dog is running through the water and swallowing too much, that can dilute the electrolytes out of the body and cause seizures.

“For blue-green algae, it’s pretty obvious,” he said.

“The water is lime green and there’s slime on the top of it, so we tend to see these especially in isolated ponds that aren’t connected to any rivers or streams, but especially here in the Pitt Meadows area, a lot of the dikes are ditches on the side of roads.

That water tends to stagnate, and we will see blue-green algae accumulating in those areas.”

Walton said people should check ponds or buckets of standing water in their backyards as well as algae can bloom there, too.

“It doesn’t take long for a dog having multiple seizures to have organ failure,” he said.

“So it’s very important to reach out to your veterinarian immediately. And if your vet’s closed, you’ve got to go to the local emergency clinic. Don’t wait till Monday. Go straight away.”

A group gathered at the lake on Monday (July 8) to raise awareness and demand that something be done to contain the outbreak. This as David Laird, who represents Area M” of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District, told CFJC Today that the issue “has been taken quite lightly by the provincial government.”

“The public is at risk, the community is at risk, animals are at risk,” Awde said. “What’s next, if a child gets ill and passes, is that the wake up call?”

While cattle ranching, the golf course, and inadequate septic fields all got their share of resident’s wrath, no one got it more that the Ministry of Environment. While the Ministry had an office down the road, it was not at Monday’s meeting.

“[The residents] tried to get this dealt with last year but we couldn’t even get the government to come and talk to us,” Laird told CFJC. “This year, we’re hoping that they listen and come and get something done, especially with signage.”

BC’s Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill said the government is doing all it can to find out what happened so it can take steps to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

“We have been looking into it. The Minster of Environment and now the Ministry of Health is also looking into it,” Neill said. “This is a priority for this government to see what’s happening at that lake and to understand exactly what that toxic algae bloom is.”

“Until we know for certain, I encourage everyone to not lot their dogs go into the lake. don’t go into the lake, don’t let the dog drink the water.”

Residents in the Nicola Lake area are looking to form a group called form a group called “Friends of Nicola Lake” to pursue more answers and more action from government

“My dog just passed away. We need to know what’s happening,” Awde said. “We need answers and we need somebody to take some responsiblity.”

– with files from CFJC Today Kamloops