Poisonous Mushrooms and Your Dog
Most probably you enjoy mushrooms in your meals. They are really succulent and because they are also low in calories, they represent a wonderful addition to your diet. Up to now, fine.
But, do you know that you cannot ingest just any type of mushrooms or you may be poisoned by picking the wrong kind? I bet you do. That is why most of us (the ones that do not know the difference) buy them at the supermarket, where we know only the good ones are sold.
Well, the same thing applies to our dogs, and if we, as dog owners, are not careful enough, we can face a very unwanted consequence when feeding the wrong mushrooms to our beloved pet or when it, because these are found everywhere, especially during this season, decides to try it.
One of the biggest problems we face trying to distinguish between non-poisonous and poisonous mushrooms is their appearance: they simply look too much alike! Besides this, they are not prejudiced and grow side by side, so it really takes a true connoisseur , called scientifically a mycologist, to be able to pick the correct ones.
We will mention here at least four of the toxic varieties and what they cause in your dog, so you can begin to recognize the symptoms and be able to do something on time.
1- Hallucinogenic mushrooms, also known as magic mushrooms. As the name suggests, the symptoms include a sense of drunkenness, hallucinations and even fever. It is important to notice that the signs will present themselves between 30-180 minutes and can persist for even 3 days.
2- Gyromitra spp (also called false morels) These mushrooms, if ingested by the dog, can produce vomiting and even seizures.
3- Ixoxaxole mushrooms, also known as panther mushrooms. This type of mushroom has been known to produce signs of depression and excitation in a fluctuating manner. Dogs initially vomit and then develop the neurological signs. It is extremely important to remember to take care as soon as possible, because it is possible that the dog will stop breathing at some point if this is not done.
4- Muscarinic mushrooms. The symptoms to look for here are profuse urination, diarrhea, salivation and vomiting. The time of the symptoms to appear can be within the range of 5 to 30 minutes and can last for several hours.
5- Amanita, Galerina and Lepiota mushrooms. These contain liver toxins that will produce vomiting after a period of approximately 6 to 12 hours and although the dog may seem to be able to recover, in a period of between 3 to 7 days liver failure shows up together with bleeding and even seizures. Unfortunately, most animals do not survive
As probably understood without saying, the immediate attention from the dog’s veterinarian can be the difference between the life or death of the animal.
We have already said that it requires a person who has either studied or lived among these mushrooms all his or her life to be able to distinguish them. Most of us do not belong to that category, so if we love our dogs, we have to remember that no risks should be taken when we know they have been in contact with these or any other kind of poisonous mushrooms, so be on the lookout for them, this being the perfect time of the year for them to enjoy coming to life, not only in the woods, but even in your own back yard.
Even though unwanted mushrooms can be eradicated with the use of herbicides, the best way to eliminate them, at least for a while, is by pulling them out of the root.
We may perhaps consider that we rarely give our dogs mushrooms in their diet, but certainly some people do, and it is the best thing to remember that precaution is always best than remediation.
