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A Boston woman believes toxic blue-green algae poisoning may have claimed the life of her family's 16-year-old dog after a swim at a local park.

Elivia Savadier Sagov said both of her dogs became sick after swimmingin the Charles River Friday at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. She told CBS Boston that the water appeared clean, but she noticed her dog, Dobby, drinking from it before she could stop her.

"It was so beautiful and clear. I saw her drink some water, which I didn't like, but I didn't catch her soon enough," Savadier Sagov said.

Both dogs showed signs of illness within hours of being exposed to the water, according to Savadier Sagov. While both became sick, Dobby, a 16-year-old, experienced more severe symptoms, including muscle stiffness, seizures, weakness and gastrointestinal issues, Savadier Sagov claimed.

Dobby died Sunday, her owner said, leaving her with the belief that the blue-green algae poisoning may have been responsible.

A pet owner believes toxic algae poisoning killed her 16-year-old dog, Dobby, days after she swam at Millennium Park in West Roxbury, Massachusetts (CBS Boston)

"This year I was very aware [of the algae]. I thought maybe not to let them in the water at all, but it's so tempting,” Savadier Sagov told CBS Boston. “We miss her terribly. It's just been so sudden. Just really miss her.”

The Charles River Watershed Association told WBZ-TV it is unaware of any recent water testing in the section of the Charles River near Millennium Park where the dogs reportedly swam.

However, the river has experienced cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae blooms, nearly every summer over the past decade, with the longest lasting 12 weeks in 2020, according to the organization’s website.

Cyanobacteria can produce toxins that are dangerous to people and animals, with dogs especially at risk because they may drink contaminated water or ingest algae while swimming in rivers, lakes and ponds, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Toxic blooms are most common in warm, stagnant, nutrient-rich water, and the toxins can linger for weeks even after the algae is no longer visible.

The toxins can attack the nervous system, liver or skin, causing vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, muscle tremors, seizures, collapse, difficulty breathing and, in severe cases, death.

Symptoms can appear within minutes to hours, and because there is no antidote, owners should seek immediate veterinary care if exposure is suspected, according to Cornell.

Savadier Sagov thinks these warning signs need to be posted at local spots.

"I almost feel there should be permanent notices here that state it very strongly: July and August there is likely to be algae,” she told CBS Boston. “If there's rain, you may not even see the scum, but spores are still in the water. And once the dog get this, the vets say there's nothing that can be done.”

The Independent has contacted the Charles River Watershed Association for comment.