Dog dies after ingesting water in Virgin River; first responders share story and urge vigilance

LA VERKIN, Washington County — A dog has died after ingesting water from the Virgin River, and volunteers from the nearby animal shelter hope this tragic story will save another dog and family from heartbreak.

The incident occurred on Sunday when a family was visiting Confluence Park in La Verkin with their pet border collie. La Verkin Animal Shelter volunteer Steve Drummond, who is also an animal control specialist in the county, was at the shelter when the family brought in the dog.

"I was scheduled to feed the dogs Sunday evening ... and as I pulled up, there were two ladies who walked up from the park and I assumed they were wanting to see the dogs here," Drummond recalled. "I asked if I could help them, and they started describing that their dog had been down in the river wading around in it and had collapsed. ... They had no idea about the toxic algae that grows in the Virgin River."

The algae in the river is commonly known as blue-green algae and is toxic to dogs, causing illness and even death soon following exposure. Drummond's wife, Andrea Kaz, is also a volunteer and said that upon seeing the dog's condition, she knew right away it wasn't good.

"I looked at the dog, and I knew how serious it was," Kaz told KSL. "I did a pupil check ... and pupils were dilated with no response. The next thing you do is check the gums; the gums on a dog should be pink, and the dog's gums were white. I could tell by the shallow breathing that the dog was either in shock or was in organ failure."

Both Drummond and Kaz are retired emergency responders who have dedicated their lives to the care of people and animals. After looking over the dog, they immediately sent the family to Southwest Animal Emergency Clinic in St. George.

"I looked at the man and whispered, 'I don't think your dog's going to make it. You need to prepare your kids,'" Kaz recalled. "The kids were all crying. It was horrible."

Drummond and Kaz were anxious to know what had become of the family's pet and called Southwest Emergency Clinic, where it was confirmed that the dog had died. KSL reached out to the clinic and was not able to get a response.

"This all happened in less than an hour," Drummond said. "It was very quick. The algae is so toxic to animals that it shuts down their organs, and once that starts, unless you can get immediate care within minutes, it can be fatal."

The two said that over the years, they have seen this happen to several dogs, and they want the public to be aware of the dangers.

"It happens all over Washington County," Kaz said. "It's pretty much the whole stretch of the Virgin River that this algae blooms this time of year. Any body of water in this area is susceptible to having this algae. ... Unfortunately, it's hot. People want to get in the water and play. They want their dogs with them, and it's nice, but it could be deadly.

"We've seen this before, and it's horrible as a pet owner," she continued. "I'm sure those kids will never forget this horrible Mother's Day."

Drummond said that while there are many instances where dogs have played in the water without incident, it's like playing Russian roulette.

"It's not 100% fatal," Drummond said. "People have said that they've had their dogs down there before, and they haven't had an issue, and good for them, but I call it Russian roulette. You don't know what's going to happen. It's a horrible situation that a lot of people could prevent, and a lot of people don't know about it — especially if you're from outside the area."

According to the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, animals are exposed to harmful algae through drinking contaminated water, eating algae mats and even licking algae from their fur.

Kaz and Drummond said they hope speaking about the situation this past weekend will help bring awareness.

"Confluence Park is a really nice area to go, and it's still safe to bring your pets; just don't let them get in the water," Drummond said. "We have a policy at the shelter with our many volunteers who take dogs for walks, that if they go to the park, their standing order is not to allow the dogs in or near the water."

"There needs to be signage at all the entry points to the river," Kaz added. "It's also important to keep your dogs on a leash. You can't stop them from drinking the water if they're not on a leash."

Related topics