Sick Jack Russell after falling into Frogs established residence.

Brindsey · #1 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 03:30 PM

We dog sit while my daughter goes to work. Her miniature Jack Russell fell into our pond and ingested some of the water. We almost lost him and the vet explained that some algae is poisonous. Luckily (and around £1,000 out of pocket) he survived. It's not a large pond, but for the 25 years we have lived here, it has been home to an established frog community. After the incident, we put weighted boards over, with gaps big enough so the wildlife could come and go but the dog could not fall in. Help please. Ideally I would like to empty the (glass fibre) pond, but am concerned for the frogs. This is my first post on this site, so excuse if I am out of order on a common topic.

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 03:32 PM

Pet insurance would have saved you alot of money. Yes I think some forms of blue green algae are highly poisonous although ive never seen it in garden ponds.

natureguy · #3 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dogghound

although ive never seen it in garden ponds.

I hope not my dog always tries to drink out of the pond.

Brindsey · #4 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 03:45 PM

Wow, thanks Doghound for your quick reply. I am just a big softee when it comes to wildlife. Like the day I watched the baby blue tit feeding outside the kitchen window, turned my back, and suddenly the blue tit had a broken neck in the beak of a maggie! I cried. Need to know what to do about this pond though. Can't trust the mischevous imp of a JRT not to do it again - clearing the algae won't be enough - can't watch him 24/7 and am fearful he would drown as he is small.

eeyore · #5 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 04:08 PM

make or buy some barley straw sausages - They release low level humic acid as they decay and this reacts with sunlight in the upper level of the pond to create low level hydrogen peroxide which kills the algae

(the humic acid/ hydrogen peroxide is harmless to wildlife - the fish dont all go blonde or anything

)

we uused to do this on a massive scale in mk - using xmas tree wrapping machines to make the sauages with plastic bottles in them to give the staw bouyancy and it worked really well - but you can do it on a much more modest scale for a garden pond.

as regards the falling in aspect - make a floating raft which he could climb onto if he falls in - or a ramp out of the pond - its not just the JR that this will benefit , as hedge hogs, rodents, fox cubs etc etc will also have a means of escape if they fall in.

Brindsey · #6 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 04:13 PM

#5 Thanks so much. Am printing off your advice as I reply. Not to say thread closed though as still would appreciate as many thoughts on this as possible.

Brindsey · #7 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 05:31 PM

Hi everyone reading. Sorry, I am not being unresponsive if you post. I have a wicked cold, and a heavy day tomorrow. Scuse I am going to bed. Will catch up tomorrow.

brenbee · #8 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 06:00 PM

you were very unlucky. our Jack Russell drinks out of our pond & also any water he finds in the forest. So I'm going 2 b extra vigilant from now on!

brenbee · #9 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 06:02 PM

Hi brindsey, r u sure It was'nt u that fell in the pond, seen as your suffering a cold? Get well soon.

Lance Morgan · #10 (**permalink**) 24-02-2009, 06:08 PM

Brindsey
I doubt algae is problem at this time of year and there would be a lot of dead dogs drinking out of ponds and puddles etc. (yes i know some dogs have died from ingesting blue green but not in February) I suspect that your dog inhaled water into its lungs and got a chest infection which can kill if it turns to septicaemia, toxeamia.