State investigating cause of Jordan Lake dog deaths
WATCHING 5 O'CLOCK NEWS RIGHT
HERE ON WRAL. BACK TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE WHAT
HAPPENS. MARK, THANK YOU.
A FAMILY DOG IS DEAD AFTER
SWIMMING IN JORDAN, LAKE STATE
OFFICIALS. THEY'VE ORDERED
TESTING OF THAT WATER. NOW THEY
WANT TO KNOW IF A TOXIC ALGAE
BLOOM IS TO BLAME.
>> ONLY ON WRAL. WE'RE TALKING
TO THE DOG'S OWNER WHO HAS A
MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT
TO TAKE THEIR PETS OUT ON THE
WATER. WRAL'S MATT TALHELM LIVE
AT JORDAN LAKE WITH WHAT WE
KNOW ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION
RIGHT NOW. MATT.
YET AND THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY OR DEQ
SAID A TEAM OUT HERE TO THE
FARRINGTON POINT BOAT LAUNCH
HERE.
>> DEQ TELLS ME IT'S RECEIVED
REPORTS OF 2 DOGS BECOMING SICK
AFTER BEING.
>> TO USE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
VEHICLE THEY WILL MAKE 3
YEAR-OLD RUBY WENT EVERYWHERE
WITH SARAH PULLING US, SPEND
MORE TIME WITH HER THAT ANYBODY
ACTUALLY INCLUDING OUT OF
JORDAN LAKE IN THE FAMILY'S
SAILBOAT, THE BROUHAHA TO LOVED
TO SAIL TO ACTUALLY STICK A
LITTLE SKIPPER DOG. THAT'S
WHERE THEY WERE SATURDAY, ALONG
WITH FRIENDS AND 2 OTHER DOGS
OR RUBY IS.
>> WOLF, AND FIGHTING ALL THE
WAVES REALLY CUTE. WE SAW WITH
THE DAY CRUISING THE CHOPPER
CAME TO AN ABRUPT END. SHE WAS.
>> LESS LESS LESS FAR. JACK
HAD SOME SHAKING.
>> IT'S MAKING SOME FUNNY
SOUNDS. THEY THOUGHT RUBY WAS
OVERHEATED BUT COLD TOWELS
DIDN'T COOLER OFF. POLAK SAYS
HER PLAYFUL PUP WAS GONE BEFORE
THEY COULD GET BACK TO THE BOAT
LAUNCH FARRINGTON POINT HER
HEART BECAUSE REALLY FIT.
>> KIND OF CAME BACK A LITTLE
AND THEN IT ONE AWAY AND COME
BACK.
>> THE AREA AROUND THIS LAUNCH
INTO THE LAKE IS WHERE STATE
INVESTIGATORS ARE FOCUSING ON
WATER TESTING TO DETERMINE IF
TOXIC BLUE-GREEN ALGAE IS
INVOLVED. IT'S ACTUALLY
POISONING FROM A BACTERIA.
SYMPTOMS IN DOGS INCLUDE
SEIZURES, PANTING, EXCESSIVE
DROOLING DIARY. IT
DISORIENTATION AND VOMITING.
DOCTOR JENNIFER FEDERICO IS
DIRECTOR OF WAKE COUNTY ANIMAL
SERVICES.
>> IF YOU SEE ANY OF THOSE
SIGNS OF THE BLUE GREEN ALGAE,
I WOULD NOT TAKE MY PAT THERE.
I IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK.
IT COULD ALSO BE CAUSED BY
WATER INTOXICATION, WHICH HAS
SIMILAR SYMPTOMS THAT THEY
CONSUME A LARGE AMOUNT OF
WATER.
>> TOO MUCH WATER. IT'S VERY
RARE THAT SAYS SOMETHING
PULLING HADN'T CONSIDERED SINCE
REALLY SPENT SO MUCH TIME
AROUND WATER. I HADN'T HEARD OF
IT TILL THE DAY SHE WANTS OTHER
DOG OWNERS TO BE AWARE OF THESE
POTENTIAL DANGERS OF THIS
SUMMER. WE SAW THERE ARE PEOPLE
OUT THERE WITH THEIR DOGS
SOMEWHERE LIKE, HEY,
BE CAREFUL.
>> OUR DOG JUST DIED AND WE
DON'T KNOW WHY.
HEARTBREAKING.
>> I'M MATT TALHELM REPORTING
AT TOTALS OF THE OTHER 2 DOGS
ON THE BOAT ARE DOING FINE AT
THIS POINT. THE OWNER OF THE
DOG WHO DIED SAYS THEY DIDN'T
NOTICE ANY OF THE HARMFUL ALGAE
BLOOMS OUT THERE WHEN THEY WERE
ON THE WATER. YOU HEARD THE
EXPERTS SAY YOU LOOK TO SEE IF
YOU CAN SPOT ANYTHING
SUSPICIOUS IF YOU'RE OUT THERE
AND YOU WANT TO LOOK FOR
SOMETHING, IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE
POSSIBLY PAINT SPILLED ON THE
WATER. IT CAN BE BLUE. GREEN
RED OR BROWN. THE DEQ EXPECTS