Don’t forget to check your yard for mushrooms each year, especially during a wet Spring or Autumn.
Mushrooms can kill dogs, and they can do so quickly!
Many dogs are sickened and killed each year after eating poisonous mushrooms. And depending on the type of mushroom and the size of your dog, it may not even take much to send you and your pooch rushing to the Animal ER.
Clear all mushrooms in your yard!
The problem with mushrooms is that they can grow very quickly and they can be hard to completely remove from (and keep out of) your yard. Add to this the stong curiosity and keen sense of smell of dogs, and the fact that too few people can easily tell which mushrooms are safe and which ones can cause great harm if ingested, and you've got a recipe for disaster.
The best preemptive step you can take is to clear out ALL mushrooms in your yard, regardless of what they look like— especially where your dog has easy, unsupervised access. Some of the most common and dangerous types of mushrooms for dogs are in the Amanita family, like the aptly-named “Death Cap” mushroom—which, because of their "fishy" odor and taste, are often very attractive to dogs. Ingestion of even a small amount of some Amanita mushrooms can severly sicken or kill a dog because of the devestating effect they can have on the liver.
Photos source: the Australian National Botanic Gardens
These photos were taken by one of our Preventive Vet colleagues on a walk with their dog the other day. These appear to be Amanita Muscaria mushrooms, which are also highly toxic to dogs.
What to do if you suspect toxic mushrooms in your yard
If you see mushrooms in your yard, carefully remove one or two and bring them for identification to a local garden store or a local mushroom (mycology) expert. Alternatively, you can take pictures of the mushrooms for identification (just make sure you photograph all of the identifying parts - the gills, the cap, the base of the stem, etc.).
Because mushroom growths can be difficult to fully get rid of, it’s best to consult with a local expert on ways to deal with them in your yard. And if the mushrooms in question are confirmed to be toxic to dogs, be sure to keep your dogs out of the yard (or at least that part) until the mushrooms are removed or sectioned off.
Signs of mushrooms toxicity in dogs
Depending on the type of mushroom, the quantity eaten, the time elapsed since eaten, and several other factors, the signs of toxicity will vary. But common signs might include any of the following:
- Wobbling, loss of balance, or walking as if drunk ("ataxia")
- Vomiting
- Salivating
- Yellowing of skin and "whites of eyes"
- Sleep-like coma
- Seizures
If these, or other concerning signs are noted, or if you know your dog has eaten mushrooms, please contact your veterinarian, animal poison control, or your local Animal ER immediately. The liver is just too important an organ to lose. The sooner you bring your pup in, the sooner the decontamination and treatment processes can begin. Delaying results in more extensive organ damage, necessitating more advanced and expensive treatments, which, as Brutus' case (see story below) highlights, still may not be enough.
From the News:
You may also remember reading about actor and dog lover, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, losing his beloved French Bulldog, Brutus, due to mushroom poisoning—mushrooms that were growing in his own yard. So sad! The reason I'm sharing this story is to highlight the importance of this awareness and of taking preventive precautions. After all, if someone with the financial resources of "The Rock" couldn't save their dog suffering the liver failure effects of mushroom toxicity, what hope do we "mere mortals" have?
Read one Washington family’s mission to raise awareness of mushroom toxicity in dogs after they lost their two pugs to mushrooms in their own backyard.
Mushroom Toxicity is Tip #43 of 101 Tips
Please do not ask emergency or other specific medical questions about your pets in the blog comments. As an online informational resource, Preventive Vet is unable to and does not provide specific medical advice or counseling. A thorough physical exam, patient history, and an established veterinary-patient-client relationship is required to provide specific medical advice. If you are worried that your pet is having an emergency or if you have specific medical questions related to your pet’s current or chronic medical conditions, please contact or visit your veterinarian, an animal-specific poison control hotline, or your local emergency veterinary care center.
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