BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - Algae can be an eyesore in the water, but now veterinary experts are saying it could also be deadly to your pets.

Anyone will consider their four-legged friends a member of the family and the best companion for an outdoor adventure.

“He is a supervised outdoor cat and the coolest kitten in my opinion,” said Dr. Alexandra Reddy.

It’s not unusual to find Reddy and her four-month-old kitten, Blu, out for a walk.

“He’s leash trained and harness trained and he does amazing,” she added.

But as a veterinarian at Virgina-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, there’s one place she knows not to walk him.

“I do not take him near the shoreline at all because algae blooms can be contaminated,” said Dr. Reddy.

That algae bloom is called cyanobacteria, more commonly

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