A mysterious toxin is killing dogs in LA.
At least 5 dogs have died after walking around the Venice Canals, with dozens more becoming seriously ill.
Hello. I’m back with a bonus newsletter this weekend after a quick trip back to LA to pick up Pippa, my goofy Doberman. She’s already having so much fun with Gemma in the new neighborhood.
Today’s newsletter includes: An update on the mystery illness affecting dogs who have walked around the Venice Canals, an open casting call for the next Air Bud movie, medieval cat art, and drama in the doodle dog breeding world.
At least five dogs have died in recent weeks, with dozens more becoming seriously ill, after walking around LA’s Venice Canals, a picturesque neighborhood near Venice Beach known for its manufactured canals.
Public health officials have not yet determined the cause of the illnesses, which have affected at least 26 dogs, but preliminary testing of the canal water has found the presence of algae-produced toxins, county health officials said on Friday.
Blue-green algae occur in lakes, rivers, and ponds and can form large blooms in warm, stagnant water. The blooms are the result of an overproduction of cyanobacteria that produce cyanotoxins, which can be fatal to dogs who drink or swim in the contaminated water. Common symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, seizures, liver failure, and sudden death.
Of the dogs who have grown ill after walking around the canals, reported symptoms appear similar: seizures, vomiting, lack of coordination, and severe lethargy. But if the algae toxins are indeed the cause of the illnesses, it’s not clear how the affected dogs became ill, because “most have had no direct contact with canal water,” according to Ashley Oelsen, a conservation biologist from the California Coastal Alliance.
As public health officials continue with testing, dog owners have been urged to avoid walking their dogs around the canals and keep an eye out for potentially contaminated water, which can appear scummy, foamy, or otherwise discolored.
The Venice Canals illnesses coincide with another case happening up in Santa Clara, where several dogs who visited a dog park have also mysteriously become ill with seizures, vomiting, and diarrhea. At least one dog has died after visiting the Nuevo Dog Park, which is located near Levi’s Stadium and Great America. City officials have temporarily closed the park until a cause is identified.
In other news…
Calling all golden retrievers: There’s an open casting call for the next Air Bud franchise film. All submissions are eligible for prizes, even if your dog doesn’t land the leading role. Please let me know if any of your dogs audition.
Baltimore’s Walters Art Museum has a new exhibit showcasing cats in medieval manuscripts. The Middle Ages’ version of the cat walking all over your keyboard? Inky paw prints on your manuscript.
More than 100 cats were adopted at CatCon, an annual convention for cat lovers in Pasadena.
A Florida cat has helped his owner, a virologist, discover two new viruses. Pepper the black cat is a skilled hunter, and his latest catch—an Everglades short-tailed shrew—led his owner, a virologist, to identify a new strain of a virus associated with encephalitis, meningitis, and gastroenteritis. This is the second time Pepper’s work has led to scientific discovery.
Whistle pet trackers and activity monitors will stop working at the end of this month. The company was acquired by its competitor, Tractive, for an undisclosed sum. Existing Whistle customers are eligible for a replacement device from Tractive until Sept. 30.
Doodlemania has created a $1B+ industry. Bloomberg has a fascinating piece on the massive doodle dog industry and the ongoing battle with the American Kennel Club for breed recognition. Purebred advocates are not fans of doodles, which are crosses of poodles and other breeds like the golden retriever (goldendoodle), labrador (labradoodle), and Bernese mountain dog (Bernedoodle). “They will destroy your breeding program, and they will destroy you personally and even dox you,” one breeder told Bloomberg. “They make it their entire personality to tear apart anyone associated with the doodle world.”