John Day River Tragedy

blackdog · 07-29-2002, 06:54 AM

My girlfriend and I and our two labs arrived at the Priest Hole area on the John Day Sunday around 11:00. We soon found a nice empty gravel bar across the river and waded over there with fishing gear, her book, a couple of chairs, and a cold beverage or two. After throwing bumpers for the dogs for 30 minutes, my girlfriend settled in with a book and some sun, and I went upstream after a smallmouth. Soon after heading upriver, I noticed she was talking with a couple for quite a while. They eventually wandered up the bank past me, looking rather distraught. After losing the fly I was fishing, I went back and asked what the other couple's deal was, but wasn't prepared for what I heard. The day before, Saturday, on the very same gravel bar, all four of their dogs had began to show signs of distress (wimpering, trouble walking, rapid heartbeat). With the help of a couple of guys that were fishing there, they got the dogs loaded into their car to head for the vet. Unfortunately, three of the dogs perished soon after getting to the car. The one dog who still had a heartbeat when they arrived in Prineville, a younger pup who had been kept on a checkcord the whole time, soon also perished while at the vet. These folks and their dogs had been walking around the river, below the boat launch a mile or so, and then on the gravel bar across the river from where you first pull in. Dogs being dogs, they had been everywhere, from the water to up in the brush, never getting into anything that attracked their owners attention, so the cause of their death at this point remains a complete mystery. Just thought I would post this in case anybody else may be headed to that area. I will be checking with whoever I can to follow up (Oregon State Police was there Saturday and Sunday and the vet is doing an autopsy soon) and post what I can find out. We immediately loaded up our dogs and headed for home after learning of these events, stopping every half hour, looking for any signs of illness. Thankfully, we made it to Bend with no problems and have seen none since

cully · 07-29-2002, 07:16 AM

i hope the best for your dog. I had a setter years ago. He had runs in with several things during his 8 yrs that almost took him out. Salmon Poisioning, being completly run over by a car ( i saw him go under at the front lincense plate and pop out the back lincense plate), clubbed by a creep at the beach all which he survived. He did meet his death by a car. I wait to hear your next post. Good luck to you all.

Rubber Robin · 07-29-2002, 08:09 AM

This occurence sounds similar to an incident that Bill Monroe from the Oregonian wrote about several years ago. At certain times of the year there is standing water that contains an alagae that is highly toxic to dogs.

If they drink this water then there is a limited time (hours) to get them to a vet for treatment or it is certain death.

The description of how fast they died makes this sound like they were exposed to that type of water.

Anybody else out there remember the details of that particular story?

Flatfish · 07-29-2002, 09:22 PM

Sounds like RR hit the nail on the head.Keep them dogs outta that river til it raises and cools.Good Luck.
Mark.

TundraIII · 07-30-2002, 06:21 AM

Sounds very similar to the toxic algae bloom that is now occuring at Diamond lake. This stuff is also toxic to humans though rarely fatal in humans. Fish are still edible though. Sad story, I also have two labs and I appreciate the heads up on this. I may not make it out to the John Day this year, but I will be more cautious when taking them to other rivers. Must be a combination of warm water and slow current or stagnant pools.

huntinglabs · 07-30-2002, 07:51 AM

BLUE GREEN ALGAE can cause acute toxicosis, usually in summer if animals drink water containing them. Algal blooms of Cyanophyta, including Microcystis, Anabaena, and Aphanizomenon produce various toxins, and may cause acute death or hepatic necrosis. Signs may include vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, tremors, dyspnea, seizures, ataxia, and death and may occur within a few minutes to hours after drinking brackish water with a blue-green algae bloom. If animals survive the initial episode, may develop icterus, enteritis, nephritis, and hepatic degeneration and necrosis. Diagnosis is supported by identification of algae in the water or stomach contents but it must be taken quickly. Treatment is supportive.
Dogs seem to be more suseptable to algae.
The college of vet med in Illinois has developed several tests to help diagnose this toxicosis.
What a devistating loss for those pet owners.
I will be more careful with my three labs after reading this thread.
Jim