Cape Town - Dog walkers and owners have been urged to practise caution and vigilance in Tokai Forest following concerns that pets contracted Giardia after swimming or playing in the river.
Parkscape, made up of concerned residents, park users and professionals, took to Facebook to raise the concern.
Giardia is an infection of the bowel that occurs in many animals including dogs, cats, sheep and cattle.
It is found on surfaces or in soil, food, or water that has been contaminated with faeces from infected persons or animals. Infection can occur when the parasite is taken in by the mouth, and lives in the intestines of people and animals.
Some of the symptoms include diarrhoea, gas, fatigue, abdominal discomfort, cramps, nausea, and vomiting. The presence of Giardia has not been officially confirmed at the site of the river. Parkscape said they were in the process of getting confirmation from local vets.
However, as a safety precaution, dog walkers were told to avoid the river and to seek veterinary attention should dogs display any of the symptoms. The Prinskasteel River runs down from the Constantiaberg through the Tokai Picnic site and into Lower Tokai.
It then joins the Keysers River and ultimately flows into Zandvlei.
Parkscape chairperson, Nicky Schmidt, said Giardia was common in many of the streams and rivers that come off the mountain at this time of the year.
“As the water dries up, it starts to stagnate and Giardia and other parasites and bacteria levels increase,” Schmidt said.
“We see an annual uptick in gastrointestinal issues in dogs in late summer – some of these cases will be giardia, others will be other bacteria or parasites.”
General advice given to users was to avoid the rivers and streams at this time of the year, especially if the water is stagnating.
Schmidt said they became aware following several reports from Tokai Forest dog walkers.
“On investigating further, we were advised by a member of our team that her vet had advised her that they were seeing increased instances of gastrointestinal issues, including Giardia in their canine patients, and that dog walkers in Tokai Forest should be mindful of the risk.”
Schmidt said no official complaint will be lodged as increased bacteria and parasite levels are a seasonal phenomenon as water bodies (rivers and ponds) dry up.
“I'm not aware of any intention to do testing. Hence common sense needs to apply. If water is stagnating and rivers are no longer running - it is best to avoid them rather than risk your dog becoming ill.”
TEARS Animal Rescue said it did treat the infection and was treating cases of Giardia in dogs, however, could not prove any cases stem from a particular environment.
TEARS veterinarian, Tracy Dicks said: “Most dogs can self-cure but if they develop diarrhoea then it’s important to seek treatment after testing.”
Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, said the City had not received any complaints regarding Giardia.
“The City will require the exact location where this alleged incident took place to determine which stakeholder monitors this area. Some sections of the river are maintained by SANParks while others are monitored by the City.”