Dog Dies Following Swim in Russian River

Planning a trip to the Russian River this holiday weekend? You may need to revise your plans.

Planning a trip to the Russian River this holiday weekend? You may need to revise your plans.

A dip in the Russian River proved deadly last Saturday when a golden retriever died moments after swimming. Now comes word that the dog has tested positive for a toxin given off by blue-green algae.

The three-year-old dog suffered seizures and foaming at the mouth after getting in the water north of Wohler Bridge.

Tests at UC Davis showed the dog died from Anatoxin-a, which attacks the central nervous system. The toxin has earned the label VFDF — for “Very Fast Death Factor.”

“We’re left without a lot of information and a lot of uncertainty related to something that potentially could be worrisome for pet owners and even children,” Clayton Creager, watershed stewardship coordinator with the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, told the Press Democrat.

Additional water samples were taken Thursday, but results aren’t expected until after the Labor Day Weekend.

There are warning signs posted at beaches along the river, but officials are considering closing the river altogether.

The move could have a negative impact on the local economy, as people stay away over the Labor Day Weekend.

--Image by Carina via WikiMedia Commons, originally posted to Flickr