Is Lake Mead Safe for Dogs?

With the latest new parasite, maybe not.

If you're like me and have water-loving dogs, chances are you've spent a lot of time at Lake Mead letting your pup live their best life. Lake Mead has always been my favorite part of surviving summer here in the desert. I’ve taken my dogs there to swim for as long as I can remember—countless hours spent paddleboarding, swimming, and just enjoying the water. And honestly? Despite what some people think, the water’s pretty clean and clear.

But… I’ve got some unfortunate news.

Blue-Green Algae: A Growing Concern

You're probably thinking the sad news is about toxic blue-green algae blooms popping up more frequently across the country. It's not. While I’ve never personally seen it in Lake Mead—and I’ve swam my dogs there almost every year (except 2022, when the water was ridiculously low and surrounded by 30 feet of mud so thick, that even big horn sheep were getting stuck in it). It does seem likely that in it could be there in some spots during the hottest months of the year. Luckily there are test kits tp test for it. Do they work - I can't confirm, but it's nice to test the water and think they work. 

Brain-Eating Amoeba: Rare, But Real

Or maybe you're thinking the brain-eating bacteria, Naegleria fowleri, is the concern after hearing that in 2022, a young boy tragically died after likely contracting this rare and deadly amoeba while swimming near Willow Beach. If you've ever swam at Willow Beach, you know that's cold water, which makes this story even scarier. You can read more about this incident here. But, nope. As terrifying as that sounds, I've only heard of the one case, making it sound pretty unlikely.

A New Threat: Deadly Parasite Found in the Colorado River

This year, though, there's a new concern and unlike the algae, as far as I know there's no test kit.

A recent AZ Family article reported that a deadly parasite, Heterobilharzia americana, was detected in the Colorado River near the Arizona border. This waterborne parasite—often referred to as a liver fluke—can infect dogs through the skin or if they drink contaminated water. It causes serious illness, and in many cases, can be fatal if not caught and treated early.

Why does this matter for Lake Mead?

Lake Mead is part of the Colorado River system, and even though the parasite hasn’t been officially confirmed there, experts believe it could already be preent anywhere from Utah all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.

Weighing the Risks

Not trying to be alarmist—I truly don’t know how likely it is that a dog would come into contact with the parasite at Lake Mead. But I’m not willing to take the chance.

We’re always trying to find the balance between safety and giving our dogs a well-rounded, enriching life. Sports come with risks, but they’re an amazing outlet. Off-leash nature walks have their dangers, but they let dogs be dogs—sniffing, exploring, and decompressing. Chews can damage teeth, but is it fair to never let them chew at all? Some risks are worth taking for a good life. But this one? The risk outweighs the benefit.

No More Lake Mead Sessions

Maybe in the future we’ll have more information about the parasite—or even a preventative treatment. But for now, Lake Mead is a hard no for me. And for that reason, I’ve made the decision to no longer offer Lake Mead portrait sessions.

Safe Alternatives for Water-Loving Dogs

If your dog loves water, don’t worry—I'm still offering private pool sessions at your home, where we can capture your dog swimming above water, under water, jumping in - whatever your dog loves doing.

No pool? No problem. We can still get creative. One fun option is using a baby pool with a black backdrop for bold, playful images—like the ones below.