A warning was issued at Watsonville’s Pinto Lake this week after a toxic algae bloom was found. The lake is being deemed off-limits to swimming, allowing pets to swim in or drink the water since a recent study found that toxins in the blue-green algae caused human illnesses and deaths in dogs. The toxic bloom has also been linked to the recent rash of sea otter deaths in Monterey Bay. Some of the problems experienced include respiratory problems, gastro-intestinal upsets, skin rashes and nervous disorder along with death in animals.
