BOISE -- A warning for dog owners -- a few sips of water from Brownlee Reservoir can kill your pet.

This past weekend an Idaho Fish and Game employee and a friend were chukar hunting near Brownlee when one dog died and another got sick after drinking reservoir water.

Experts blame dog's death on algae found along the shores of the reservoir.

They say warm weather and stagnate water promote algaes growth. While most species of algae do not pose a health risk, the blue-green form of the freshwater plant is toxic to dogs.

"The particular thing comes really close to shore it sort of a shiny blue-green ring, like a bathtub ring that you see some places in still water. It appears to be dangerous only to dogs as far as I know,"said Ed Mitchell, with Idaho Fish and Game.

Mitchell said this is a danger that is often overlooked, and similar dog deaths have occurred at Lake Lowell and Lake Cascade around this time of year.

He says a dog swimming in the water and then licking its coat, can cause it to become sick. Hunting season is typically when more dogs are around reservoirs and could be affected.

The danger passes once cooler weather kills off the algae, but in the interim, Fish and Game officials say bring your own water for your dog, and don't allow them in the water where algae is present.

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