An Adelaide dog owner says her pooches fell "terribly sick" after a beach walk on a warm day but authorities say it remains safe to bring pets to the beach.

Dog breeder Katie Wahlheim thought it would be OK to take her border collies to the beach because the waters were clear, there was no foam and no other visible signs of the harmful algal bloom.

"We thought we might be safe this time but sadly I really was wrong on that one," she told ABC Radio Adelaide's Drive program.

"The water looked good, there was no foam, there was no smell."

Ms Wahlheim said she had been avoiding the beach due to the ongoing algal bloom, but swum at the same beach without issue on Sunday and had seen lots of dogs splashing in the water, so returned with her pets, Lucy and Ella, the next day.

But, within 20 minutes of leaving Silver Sands beach on Monday she said her dogs became ill, with their symptoms worsening so much throughout the day that she took them to an emergency vet.

"Something in that 24 hours changed," she said.

Katie Wahlheim's border collies Lucy and Ella are feeling better after becoming ill following a visit to the beach. (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)

She said her dogs' symptoms included "reverse sneezing", a rapid inhalation that dogs do to ease throat irritation, and coughing up phlegm in small batches.

"Ella looked like she was a rabies case, she was frothing at the mouth,"

Ms Wahlheim said.

"We just did a 10-minute walk and it's just surprising how bad the girls got impacted, so I wanted to send that message out."

She said she had called several vets who were "inundated everywhere with similar cases locally" before taking her dogs to an emergency clinic.

 "They [vets] were saying they were seeing lots of dogs with the same symptoms coming from the beach yesterday, they had seen five prior to me and more coming in," she said.

Ms Wahlheim said she had also experienced symptoms, including a burning throat, itchy skin and swollen eyes, but that she and her dogs had since improved.

A range of contributing factors

A Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) spokesperson said they had not received reports from veterinarians in relation to dogs becoming ill around Sellicks Beach and surrounding areas.

They said it was safe to take dogs to the beach but not to let them eat dead fish or swim in foamy or discoloured water.

"There are a range of environmental factors, including the algal bloom, that can cause short term irritation in pets," the spokesperson said.