What is Redtide?? (Gainesville, Sarasota, Port Charlotte: vacation, work, health care)

[HengyMama]

Oooouuuuu you swam in red tide? That's comparable to cooties in our area. Common sense will tell you that if fish are dying from it, you probably shouldn't be in it! My husband works at the beach remodeling condos and when there is redtide he gets very ill. Eyes get bloodshot, can't breathe, coughing, congestion, sinus infection, aching muscles, headache, flu like symptoms. It is horrible. He is miserable until it is gone.

[sunrico90]

There seems to be some consistent symptoms with red tide exposure in both humans and animals. These symptoms are all given by the hundreds of people writing in and or living on island that have become sick from red tide exposure. This is not the go by the text book description, this is laymans observations, take it for what it is worth. Many of us have lived this for 20+ years with each episode making us more sick.

After experiencing on going redtide in various toxicity, many on our island have come up with some interesting observations.

I will first address the symptoms seen in the dogs then discuss what observations the islanders have presented for us humans. These are exact symptoms the dogs showed EACH time. Many dogs were sick and islanders got to know the warning signs.

The dogs have all shown exact symptoms, and the Vets with the correct treatment Treated them the same. This knowledge came from being there thru 16 dogs getting sick. It never changed.

1. Limited to uncontrollable sneezing.

2. Backwards cough, it's a cross between a cough and a choke. Once a dog has had a high exposure they can continue this type of coughing even if they have been brought inside. Beware, this has proven to be a strong indicator of impending problems. Keep the animals in clean air.

3. Uncontrollable swallowing accompanied by foaming at the mouth. This is seen when they get high doses of toxic air on the beach. Dogs have dropped as they walked on the beach. This happened on our island. And letters also pointed this out in St.Pete.

4. Drunken walk, they lose their motor skills, and are not sure of the location of their feet. They are losing sensory perception. This is FACT.

5. Lack of appetite and lack of energy for a day or two. This is seen in the dogs that have the toxins building in their systems. At times they may swallow constantly like they have something stuck in their throat, and droll slightly. This may pass or continue to full blown seizures.

6. Intestinal problems, digestive problems.

7. If exposure is severe there will be a Total shutdown of the nervous system, accompanied by blindness and deafness.

At this point ALWAYS keep the dog in a very quiet, dark area. Try not to move them too much. Their brains are over stimulated and any noise or light sets off convulsions and upsets them. They don't know where they are so be patient with them. Keep them out of the heat. Bring them to a vet who has knowledge of what to do. asap. Some will require a sedative just to keep them quiet.

There seems to be no difference between the dogs that ate fish and those that just had air or water exposure. There were three instances on island of families having two dogs, and only one got sick. Both dogs in the families were exposed to the same levels of brevetoxin. Olivia Gaines had enough toxin in her body, 3 weeks later, to kill a Manatee. Lazy had a relapse 3 weeks later when exposed to red tide air during another lovely red tide episode.

Note to all: These symptoms in the dogs are severe but can be counteracted very quickly but only by the perscribed method. See the page on the red tide articles, ie. red tide and dogs. Never give up on your dog. Even if things look extremely severe, they Will recover.. Port Charlotte Emergency vets, and Englewood Fl Vets, Dr. Botelson and Gilkerson know the treatments WELL.

The human symptoms we have all pinned down are:

1. Headache/migraine

2. Dry mouth, cracked lips

3. Extreme fatigue

4. Constant thirst

5. Extreme respiratory problems, coughing, lack of breath, laryngitis, sinusitis, and extreme irritation of the lungs.

6. Upset stomach

If a person arrives on island and has never been exposed to red tide, it seems to take a few days to a week for the symptoms to suddenly hit them.

Whether or not this indicates that the severity of reactions increases as exposure increases is a theory that needs to be addressed.

One person I know was within a few hours of total respiratory failure. She has lived on this island for 30 years and has been exposed many times to the red tide but had never suffered the affects she did last April.

The feeling on this island, is that after years of constant immersion in this toxic air, we are all hypersensitized to the red tide, and get worse with each episode.

These are our observations, hope it helps, please send yours.

[FLANATIVE1]

Originally Posted by HengyMama

Oooouuuuu you swam in red tide? That's comparable to cooties in our area. Common sense will tell you that if fish are dying from it, you probably shouldn't be in it! My husband works at the beach remodeling condos and when there is redtide he gets very ill. Eyes get bloodshot, can't breathe, coughing, congestion, sinus infection, aching muscles, headache, flu like symptoms. It is horrible. He is miserable until it is gone.

Usually when I see dead fish I avoid the water. The time I swam in red tide was when there were no dead fish. I didn't even know there was an outbreak until the news paper did an article on it. Red Tide is simply similar to allergies. Some people are affected by it, some aren't.

[sunrico90]

As we near another red tide season, which traditionally runs from August to March, Florida's political and business leaders are increasingly anxious for scientists to find a way to control the noxious algae. Red tide costs Florida's coastal economy $50 million a year, according to some estimates, and is devastating to fish and wildlife.

Red tide is a microscopic plant that scientists call Karenia brevis. It occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico and feeds on nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

Red tide blooms kill fish and wildlife and can cause breathing problems for people.

Red tide has been confirmed or suspected in at least one calendar month every year since 1950 when the state started collecting data. In recent years, however, red tides seem to be starting earlier and lasting longer, with devastating results.

In 2005, red tide lasted from January to mid-December and caused a 2,200-square-mile dead zone on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico from Tarpon Springs to Sarasota. The cost to the economy was estimated as high as $240 million, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Red tide reappeared last year and, though not as widespread as the 2005 event, killed millions of fish and 62 endangered manatees.

Larry Brand, a marine biologist, says he has scientific research to back up his theory. He claims there's been a 15-fold increase in the abundance of the toxic algae since the 1950s, and that no natural causes can explain such a change.

"There is no evidence that any of those natural causes have increased 15-fold," Brand said. "What has increased that much? The obvious one is people and all those associated human activities such as sewage, fertilizer and agricultural runoff."

[oceandreams94]

I dug up this thread again because yesterday I had my first experience with Red Tide..
I forgot that on the news they have said that Daytona and Flagler had Red Tide, and the kids and I drove to daytona.
As soon as we got out of the van, we started coughing. It was like there was a constant itch in my throat.
We sneezed a few times too. I have never had lung troubles of any sort and neither have my kids.
we only stayed about an hour and didnt go into the water. But later on my nose was burning, so I agree, red tide is not fun.

[BlueWillowPlate]

It was over here last week. They did say it is very unusual for it to be here.
I was coughing and my dog was sneezing, and my throat was quite irritated.
There were dead fish all over the beach.
But it seems to be gone now.
I guess all the rain cleaned it out.

[firemed]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

As we near another red tide season, which traditionally runs from August to March, Florida's political and business leaders are increasingly anxious for scientists to find a way to control the noxious algae. Red tide costs Florida's coastal economy $50 million a year, according to some estimates, and is devastating to fish and wildlife.

Red tide is a microscopic plant that scientists call Karenia brevis. It occurs naturally in the Gulf of Mexico and feeds on nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen.

Red tide blooms kill fish and wildlife and can cause breathing problems for people.

Red tide has been confirmed or suspected in at least one calendar month every year since 1950 when the state started collecting data. In recent years, however, red tides seem to be starting earlier and lasting longer, with devastating results.

In 2005, red tide lasted from January to mid-December and caused a 2,200-square-mile dead zone on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico from Tarpon Springs to Sarasota. The cost to the economy was estimated as high as $240 million, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Red tide reappeared last year and, though not as widespread as the 2005 event, killed millions of fish and 62 endangered manatees.

Larry Brand, a marine biologist, says he has scientific research to back up his theory. He claims there's been a 15-fold increase in the abundance of the toxic algae since the 1950s, and that no natural causes can explain such a change.

"There is no evidence that any of those natural causes have increased 15-fold," Brand said. "What has increased that much? The obvious one is people and all those associated human activities such as sewage, fertilizer and agricultural runoff."

Manatees are mammals, And we are Mammals don't you think? Ok I won't go there. But the key to all this is run off. Water that used to soak into the ground and replenish our auqifers now just picks up every chemical on it's way to creeks, streams and rivers that lead to the ocean and the gulf. As long as universities have lobbyist and accept donations there will never be a cause other than natural in thier studies. Rain water can't soak into concrete and asphalt. It's kind of like tobacco companies doing thier own studies on smoking. Point in case Lake Okachobee.

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by oceandreams94

Hello everyone! Would someone please explain what redtide is?? I have seen it mentioned here and there on the forum and I am curious? I have never heard of it?

Thanks,
Jen

they are little critters in the ocean that turn red when they don't feel good in on a very large scale.
does that help?
stephen s
san diego ca

[abba821]

My dogs and I were out on the Jungle Hut beach today. What a miserable experience. My dogs sneezed continually. I started coughing the minute I got out of the car and couldn't quit. I've been here 20 years, but this is the WORST red tide I've seen. We've been home for 3 hours, but my eyes are still burning! I really think the public needs to be warned about this exposure. From my research, those persons already suffering from respiratory ailments can become significantly worse when exposed to this toxin.

[Robbied]

we visit Sarasota at time and it is awful there at times. Best to stay away during that time.