CLARK COUNTY, Wash. (KATU) - Officials in Oregon are warning people and pet owners about some local waterways that have tested positive for a new type of toxic algae.

A family’s dog died after coming into contact with the algae.

It was October, the last boating day of the season.

The Pang family was taking their boat out on the Columbia River, and their Kavapoo, Cedar, was with them.

“I saw Cedar, he was out. I was watching him the whole time, and he was out kind of playing with my, she was four at the time, my 4-year-old, and they were kind of digging playing in the sand together,” Elise Pang said.

Pang said she noticed her 2-year-old dog had a sick look in his eyes. He collapsed right in front of them, and it all went downhill from there.

“I pretty much immediately started doing CPR on him,” she said.

Cedar was already gone by the time his family raced him to the vet. Test results later showed he died from toxic algae that officials did not even know was in the Columbia River.

“The benthic algae is the one that grows on the rocks, which is what this was,” Pang said.

In a recent public health meeting, officials said it can grow at the bottom of river and lake floors.

It had not been known to be in waters near Oregon and Washington until Cedar’s death alerted officials to it.

Now, six months later, the Pang family has opened their hearts to a new puppy.

The Pangs said they will not be taking her anywhere near the water that took Cedar. They said they are not ready to go back themselves.

“That was the last boating trip of the season for us,” Pang said.