A DOG-OWNER has called for more warnings after his Labrador was poisoned by a toxic bacteria in a lake.

Mike Dolan, from Northwich, let his dog Toby swim in the Budworth Mere in Marbury Park on Sunday, July 16 not knowing that it contained deadly blue-green algae.

Toby fell ill 48 hours later which forced Mike to rush him to the emergency vet due to severe diarrhoea and vomiting.

He said: “When Toby kept being sick I thought back to what I’d been told at the park and had a horrible feeling. He is always swimming so I didn’t think much of it.

“Had I not been told by a group of children on Sunday to get him out of the lake then I would have left it until the next morning to see how he was feeling. I didn’t quite understand how serious it was.

“I was absolutely shocked when I found out how toxic this stuff is. It kills dogs and I dread to think what would have happened to Toby if I had left it any longer.

“Thankfully we got him to the vet and they got him back to health. His system was shutting down but he survived it.”

Rangers and volunteers have put up 20 A4 signs at various locations including the car park, entrance points and all approaches to the mere warning owners.

Mike said: “I don’t think there are enough warning signs in the park about the effects of blue-green algae.

“There are only a small number of them and I didn’t spot any on my way in. But people need to be aware about how toxic and dangerous it is.

“If something more could be done it will stop this from happening to anyone else in the future.

“To be honest I shouldn’t call him Toby. I should call him Lucky after the past few days we’ve had.”

Exposure to blue-green algae is often fatal. Some types can kill a dog 15 minutes to an hour after drinking contaminated water.

Despite the signs clearly stating that blue-green algae is in the mere, CWAC has still not received confirmation that it contains the bacteria.

Cllr Karen Shore, cabinet member for Environment, said: “I am sorry to hear about this dog becoming unwell after swimming in the lake and I hope there was a speedy recovery.

“We have suspected there is blue green algae in Budworth Mere since the middle of June however this has not been confirmed yet by the Environment Agency.

“The signs clearly stipulate not to let dogs go in the water. The signs are being checked each week and replaced if necessary.

“Dog owners need to be aware that it is not safe for their pets to swim in the Mere until we have much cooler temperatures.”