Weird blue blobs washing up on California beaches can pose threat to dogs, experts say

Velella velella, or by-the-wind sailors, still cover California beaches.

Over the last few months, these blue blobs have been washing up on shores in droves. And while they pose no threat to people, they can be harmful to dogs that want to put these little creatures in their mouths, or even eat them.

But velellas have small stingers that can irritate a dog’s mouth and stomach.

According to Canidae Pro, this can look like gastrointestinal distress that may cause vomiting or diarrhea in a dog.

“If you notice that they are pawing at their face or hyper-salivating, there’s a good chance that they might have licked one or eaten it,” Dr. Brieana Sarvis told ABC 10. Sarvis is the hospital director of San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus.

If you believe your dog has bitten or ingested a velella, you need to act quickly, giving your dog “ice-cold water for a stinging mouth” and bland foods for an upset stomach, Sarvis says.

If your dog is vomiting continuously, take him or her to the vet as soon as possible.

The good news is, while velellas are poisonous to dogs when ingested, they won’t permanently harm them, experts say.

Regardless, dog owners need to be extra cautious right now.

“When they wash ashore, these jellies quickly dry to the consistency of potato chips,” Julia Parrish, a professor in the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Science, told University of Washington News.

Additionally, this drying process causes them to lose their bright blue color, making them less visible, but they are still there.

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