Current disease alerts and events

Cyanobacteria can produce toxins that are harmful to animals and humans.

Cyanobacterial (blue-green algae) blooms are caused by the rapid multiplication of cyanobacteria in any water body when conditions are favourable for growth, such as warm and stagnant water. cyanobacterial blooms are most common in freshwater, including lakes, ponds, and dugouts, but may also sometimes occur in rivers and streams, water features like bird baths and fountains, or in brackish or marine waters.

Some visual indicators of cyanobacteria blooms, especially during warmer months can include:

• Discoloured water, ranging from green, to blue, red, purple or brown
• Unusual water surface textures that resemble paint or streaks, pea-soup, foam, scum, grass clippings, clumps or mats.
• The presence of dead wild birds or fish.

Blooms are not always obvious, and you can’t tell whether a bloom is toxic by looking at it, but if you suspect there is a bloom you should assume toxins may be present. Toxins can also persist after a bloom has dissipated or moved, so if there has been a recent bloom in the area, you should use caution before entering the water, even if the bloom is no longer visible.

How to protect your pet: Prevent exposure

• Pets ingest a lot of water while swimming or playing in water, so they are at high risk of fatal poisoning
• During warm summer months, always check public warnings before allowing your animal to access them
• Keep your pet away from any dead wildlife
• Keep your animals away from affected water with posted warnings of toxic cyanobacteria, or when you see signs of a visible bloom, or if there are dead birds, wildlife or fish around/in the water
• Consider keeping your animals away from water bodies that frequently experience cyanobacteria problems, particularly in the summer and early fall (water temperatures >25C are highest risk)
• If your animal comes into contact with a cyanobacteria bloom, limit their consumption of the algae (i.e., stop them from licking their fur) and rinse them with clean water. Do not let your animal eat clumps or mats of algae in the water or along the shore. Immediately seek veterinary care
• Supply alternative sources of drinking water for your animal (i.e., carrying fresh water for pets) so they don’t have to drink from an affected water body
• AlgaeWatch is an excellent resource for accessing and making reports on algae blooms across the province

What are the signs of cyanobacterial toxin exposure in pets?

Signs can occur quickly (minutes to hours) and can be rapidly fatal. They include:

• Sudden severe illness, shock or death
• Vomiting, diarrhea
• Tremors, stumbling, paralysis, seizures
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing

If your animal is sick, see your veterinarian or go to a veterinary emergency clinic immediately. Though emergency vet treatment is required and can save your pet’s life, even the best care may not always be effective, and ingesting the algae is often fatal.

Case definition

A suspect case is defined as an animal or group of animals with clinical signs compatible with toxicity AND recent exposure (<24 hours) to a body of water suspected or known to have an active or recent algal bloom.

Veterinarians are encouraged to submit a report of any suspect cases to the Office of the Chief Veterinarian to allow us to track and validate cases.

Diagnostic testing

There are more than 30 species of cyanobacteria associated with toxic cyanobacterial blooms and they can produce toxins of six distinct chemical classes. Broadly speaking cyanotoxins are divided into hepatotoxins (most commonly microcystin), which result in massive hepatic necrosis, and neurotoxins (including anatoxins and saxitoxins), which result in sudden onset of neurological clinical signs including hypersalivation and seizures. With both the hepatotoxins and the neurotoxins the mortality rate is high, and death generally occurs within hours.

Diagnosis in the clinical setting relies upon a history of exposure, compatible clinical signs and ruling out other differentials. The hepatotoxins generally result in indications of hepatic dysfunction on blood chemistry. The neurotoxins do not result in consistent changes on routine bloodwork. Anatoxin-A and Microcystin (the most common cyanotoxins) can be detected in stomach contents, urine or serum at some veterinary toxicology laboratories, but turnaround time is 10-14 days, so although useful for confirming the diagnosis, this is not generally helpful for clinical management.

Examination of animals that are suspected to have died of toxicity in BC can be done by submitting the carcass or appropriate tissue portions and samples to the Animal Health Centre in Abbotsford.

Water testing is available for Microcystin and Anatoxin-A at some veterinary toxicology laboratories, or may be available through a local health authority (for Microcystin only).

Veterinarians requiring more information or advice on sampling and submission can call 604-556-3003 or email pahb@gov.bc.ca.

If you suspect illness in a domestic animal, or see sick or dead animals near a water body contact the following:

To report an algae bloom in a lake or river that is used for drinking water or recreation, contact your local health authority.

• Algae Watch - Province of British Columbia
• Merck Veterinary Manual
• Healthlink BC

Effective June 17, 2025, the Chief Veterinarian has removed General Order AIV 2024-01, which required persons responsible for chickens and turkeys in operations regulated by one of the provincial boards or commissions listed below to keep their poultry indoors.

All persons responsible for chickens and turkeys in operations regulated by one of the following:

1. BC Broiler Hatching Egg Commission
2. BC Chicken Marketing Board
3. BC Egg Marketing Board
4. BC Turkey Marketing Board (each a “Board or Commission”)

and who hold quota from their relevant Marketing Board or Commission were subject to this order.

Diligence in applying biosecurity measures remains the most important tool in preventing poultry flocks from contracting avian influenza. It is essential that producers continue to maintain on-farm biosecurity at all times, even after the lifting of the order.

Effective April 7, 2025, the Chief Veterinarian has removed General Order AIV 2024-02 (PDF, 281 KB), which prohibits commingling of poultry in the Lower Mainland. 

Diligence in applying biosecurity measures remains the most important tool in preventing poultry flocks from contracting avian influenza. It is essential that poultry owners and event organizers continue to maintain on-farm biosecurity and practice biosecurity at poultry events at all times, even after the lifting of the order.

Effective September 20^th, 2024, the Chief Veterinarian issued General Order CWD2024-002 (PDF, 1.8 MB), which replaces General Order CWD2024-001 (PDF, 255 KB).

All persons who collect found dead cervids, or parts of found dead cervids (including deer, elk, moose, and caribou) (“Collected Cervids”), in Wildlife Management Units 4-1 to 4-8 and 4-20 to 4-25 inclusive (“the Area”) must take the following actions, and must comply with the following prohibitions:

• Samples from any Collected Cervid originating within the Area must be submitted to a government testing site or drop-off location for testing in accordance with Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance and Testing - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
• The remaining, untested portions of any Collected Cervid originating from within the Area must not be removed from the Area or used for any purpose, and may only be either:
  • transported to a Designated Disposal Site (defined below) for disposal, or
  • transported to a storage location and held in a secure, leak-proof container, freezer or cooler inside the Area 

until testing is complete and the result is confirmed negative for the presence of CWD

• Portions of any Collected Cervid which tests positive for CWD must be held in a secure, leak-proof storage container until further instructions are received from the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Each of the following is a “Designated Disposal Site”:

• Cranbrook Regional District Landfill
• Creston Landfill
• Ootischenia (Castlegar) Landfill
• Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure secure disposal sites or
• The government collection site at 205 Industrial Road G, Cranbrook, B.C.

Effective June 20, 2025, the Chief Veterinarian removed General Order WD2024-01. The requirements of this General Order are now required under the Controlled Alien Species Regulation under the Wildlife Act.