Quispamsis checks for cyanobacteria after 3 dead raccoons found in Ritchie Lake

The Town of Quispamsishas issued an advisory about possible cyanobacteria in Ritchie Lake after three dead raccoons were discovered.

Some cyanobacteria produce toxins that can be deadly to pets and other animals within 30 minutes and pose health risks to people, including skin, eye and throat irritation, or gastrointestinal illness.

The raccoon carcasses are being sent to the provincial veterinary laboratory and pathology services in Fredericton for testing, the town said in a statement Thursday.

The Department ofEnvironment and Local Government will test water samples.

• Biologist warns cyanobacteria in St. John River can be harmful to humans
• Cyanobacteria confirmed as cause of dog's sudden death after swim in St. John River

It could take a couple of weeks for the results to come back, sothe town decided to issue the advisory "out of an abundance of caution," said Mayor Gary Clark.

If anyone knowswhat happened to the raccoons, the town "would appreciate hearing that information," said spokesperson Aaron Kennedy.

In July, Public Health issued an advisory about cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, for a100-kilometre stretch of the St. John River between Fredericton and Woodstock following the death of a16-week-old dog that swam in the river.

Cyanobacteriawas later confirmed as the cause of the sudden death of Sandy Kitchen-Brewer's puppy, Flint. He died within minutes of coming to shore on a beach near Fredericton on July 13.

Some of the precautions Public Health recommends with any recreational water use include:

• Avoid entering any bodies of water that look or smell unusual.
• Do not swallow lake or river water when swimming, and always supervise young children and pets in recreational waters.
• Bathe or shower immediately after swimming.
• Do not enter the water with open cuts or sores.
• Even if no algae are present, it is recommended you shower with clean water after being in recreational waters.

There are several cyanobacteria advisories across the province, some of which have been in place formore than a decade.

The Public Healthwebsite has photosof cyanobacteria to show the different forms and colours it can take.