Dog walkers in the Tokai area have expressed concern after their dog fell ill after playing and swimming in the Princecasteel River in the Tokai Forest. (Oli Scarf/AFP)
- Dog owners should be careful when bringing their pets to Tokai Forest.
- A community group warned that several dogs had fallen ill after playing in the river.
- The dogs appear to have been infected with a parasite called Giardia. Diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss.
Dog walkers have been warned to be careful when walking their pets in the popular Tokai Forest after reports that several dogs fell ill after swimming in the Princecasteel River.
Parkscape, an organization that warns residents of what's happening in the area, posted a warning on social media urging dog owners to be careful after reports of Giardia being found in the river.
Giardia is a common intestinal parasite that affects humans and animals.
Nicky Schmidt, the group's founder and spokeswoman, said dog walkers in the Tokai region started raising concerns about two weeks ago. Their dog became ill after playing and swimming in the Prince Castile River in Tokai Forest.
The Prinskastir River flows from Constantiaberg into Lower Tokaj through the Tokaj picnic area. It then joins the Kaisers River and eventually flows into Zandvlei.
“When I received these related messages, I [asked] If you hear about Giardia parasites found in rivers, please contact my team. One of our team members said Steenberg Veterinarians had been issuing warnings to customers and advising dog walkers that levels of Giardia in the water were rising. ”
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However, Laura Moss of Steenberg Veterinary Clinic said she was unaware of the claim.
“Veterinarians have also not been asked to issue any warnings. We are working to clarify this and will update as information becomes available, but no warnings have been issued at this time.” Veterinarian Steenberg said. Moss.
Giardia was common this time of year in many of the streams that flowed out of the mountains, Schmidt said.
“When the water dries out, it starts to stagnate, increasing levels of Giardia and other parasites and bacteria. I don't know of a single dog that has died from this. Only some have gotten sick. ”
“We contacted local veterinarians to understand the situation and figure out if Giardia is present in the river,” Schmidt said.
Although it has not been officially confirmed, dog owners should be careful when taking their pets into the forest, she added.
Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokeswoman Belinda Abraham said they had not received any complaints from dog owners about the Tokai River.
SPCA chief veterinarian Dr. Rivona Ramnanan said Giardia is usually transmitted through ingestion of contaminated water or food containing cysts of the parasite.
Ramnanan said:
If your dog becomes sick after swimming or playing in a river, it may have ingested water contaminated with Giardia cysts.
He said symptoms of Giardia infection in dogs can include diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss and fatigue.
“To prevent your pet from getting Giardia, it's important to avoid letting them drink or swim from potentially contaminated water sources, such as rivers, ponds, and streams,” Ramnanan says.
Veterinarians say dogs should have access to clean drinking water when outdoors, and owners should be careful when giving their dogs anything of unknown origin.
“If your dog shows any symptoms of illness, especially after entering a water source where Giardia may be present, it is important to consult a veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and treatment,” Ramnanan said. Ta.
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Cape Town Mayor's Water and Sanitation Committee member Zahid Badrudian said there had been no complaints about giardia.
“The City will request the exact location where this alleged incident occurred in order to determine which stakeholders are monitoring the area. Some sections of the river are maintained by SANParks. However, other sections are monitored by the City of Cape Town,” Badrudian said.
SANParks spokeswoman Lauren Howard-Clayton said she was unaware of the presence of giardia in the water.
