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Wild Mushrooms and Dogs: The Risks You Need to Know

We all know that dogs just love to eat anything – and vets are often asked about wild mushrooms.

Why mushrooms aren’t magic

With the milder climate and the recent rain and moisture, mushroom populations seem to be booming.

Most of the 4,000 species of wild mushrooms in the UK are edible, while others are extremely dangerous – sadly it is not easy to tell the difference between the two. These toxic varieties contain a mushroom poison similar to mycotoxin (the toxin contained in mould which is also harmful to dogs). Death cap (Amanita Phalloides) and Fool’s funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa) are among the most likely to cause toxic symptoms, with the latter regularly growing on lawns this time of year.

Symptoms can vary dramatically depending on what was eaten and can range from dribbling, vomiting or diarrhoea, blood in the stools or vomit, neurological effects such as hallucinations or fits, kidney or liver failure. The kind of mushroom that has been ingested will affect how long these symptoms take to display – sometimes it can be very rapid.

If your dog is prone to foraging and eating anything in sight, avoid wooded shady areas where wild mushrooms are more likely to grow. If your dog is a particularly keen scavenger, you may even wish to consider a basket muzzle.

It is best to consider all wild mushrooms potentially toxic to dogs and seek veterinary advice if your pet is suspected to have ingested any. If your dog does eat a wild mushroom, take them to the vets immediately. It will also help your vet if you take along:

  • A photo of the mushroom
  • A description of where it was found growing i.e. on grass, in shade or in a tree stump
  • The mushroom wrapped in paper – not plastic

If you are concerned your pet might have been poisoned then contact your vet.

What should I do if I think my pet has eaten something it shouldn’t have?

These instances require immediate action from you as a pet owner to minimise the risk of any serious consequences.

Your vet only has a short, limited time frame to try to minimise the absorption of poisons before they can cause harm and so an immediate appointment is essential and potentially life-saving.

Follow the simple steps on this page and always remember the word S.P.E.E.D in the future.

S Stop access to any poison

It may seem obvious but can the pet get hold of any more of the substance (i.e. if it’s in your garden)? If so keep your pet away from anything you suspect as dangerous.

P Phone the vet

This is an emergency and must be dealt with immediately.

E Emergency appointment

You cannot ‘wait and see’ with poisons as many do not affect your pet straight away and some can take several days to show symptoms, all the while doing damage to the inside before you see signs on the outside. Getting your pet seen immediately gives you the best chance to get effective treatment for your pet before you reach a potential point of no return.

E Evidence

Knowing what the potential poison is will really help your Vet make a rapid diagnosis and create the best treatment protocol for a successful recovery. If you have a label of the substance, bring it. If you don’t have a label but have access to the substance then bring a sample to the vet for testing (only if it is safe to do so and you are not putting yourself or anyone else in danger). If you don’t have a label or a sample but you animal has been sick, then bring a sample of this with you (if safe to do so) as the ingredient may be present in the vomit. If you don’t have access to any of these then don’t worry as your pet’s blood can be tested.

D Don’t delay!

You cannot afford to wait, act now!

Pet Dangers leaflet
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