Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms? A Quick Guide!

While dogs can safely consume ordinary mushrooms purchased from stores, it's crucial to be cautious about certain ingredients. Avoid using excessive amounts of oil, butter, and garlic. Preparations rich in fats and butter can trigger pancreatitis or pancreatic inflammation. Overindulgence in sauces can also lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea. Garlic is toxic to dogs, so it should be avoided in any recipes. Moreover, if mushrooms are not cut into small pieces, there's a risk of choking. As a responsible pet owner, you must not only be mindful of the sauce content but also the size of the mushroom pieces.

Wild mushrooms pose an even greater risk to both dogs and humans. Accidental ingestion of wild mushrooms can occur easily when dogs roam freely without a leash or play in the backyard.

Here are several clinical symptoms associated with wild mushroom poisoning:

1. Symptoms of Mushroom Poisoning Caused by Neurotoxins:

1. Seizures

2. Tremors

3. Weakness

4. Ataxia (wobbly gait when walking)

2. Toxins That Can Cause Neurological Symptoms:

1. Psilocin. This compound has been found in certain mushrooms and is used as an entheogen. Dogs might accidentally ingest it at home, as it's not commonly found in the wild.

2. Amanita. This toxic compound is found in a mushroom called "false truffle." Eating these mushrooms usually results in neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as hemolytic anemia (red blood cell breakdown) and kidney and liver damage.

3. Isoxazole derivatives. These toxic compounds are found in the Amanita genus of mushrooms, with derivatives like ibotenic acid and muscimol. Besides causing gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, these mushrooms also lead to neurological symptoms.

3. Symptoms of Acute Liver Failure Caused by Liver Toxins:

1. Vomiting

2. Diarrhea

3. Bleeding disorders

4. Jaundice

5. Drowsiness

6. Dehydration

In dogs and humans, deaths related to mushrooms are often due to livertoxic mushrooms. The most common type linked to liver damage is the death cap mushroom. The death cap accounts for over 50% of human mushroomrelated deaths and is the most lethal to dogs.

4. Toxins That Cause Liver Damage:

1. Amatoxins

2. Phallotoxins

3. Amanitin

5. Symptoms of Kidney Toxic Mushroom Poisoning:

1. Vomiting

2. Nausea

3. Increased thirst

4. Increased urination

5. Drowsiness

This type of mushroom is found in Japan and Europe. The toxic chemicals in these mushrooms are phallotoxin and phalloidine. These compounds can cause severe kidney damage, often requiring kidney transplant surgery.

6. Gastrointestinal Toxins:

Almost all toxic mushrooms can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, as well as damage to other organs like the liver, kidneys, and the nervous system.

Here are some mushroom species known to cause gastrointestinal irritation, although their toxic compounds have not been isolated:

1. Agaricus mushrooms

2. Boletus mushrooms

3. Chlorophyllum mushrooms

4. Lepiota mushrooms

5. Clitocybe mushrooms

6. Coprinus mushrooms

7. Lactarius mushrooms

8. Inocybe mushrooms

9. Clavariadelphus mushrooms

10. Lepista mushrooms

11. Stropharia mushrooms

12. Hypholoma mushrooms

13. Russula mushrooms

14. Tricholoma mushrooms

15. Geastrum mushrooms

7. Miscellaneous Toxins:

Some mushrooms have toxic properties that don't fit neatly into the above categories, including:

1. Muscarine. This toxic compound is found in mushrooms like the Clitocybe, Macrolepiota, and Gymnopilus species. The symptoms caused by muscarine include runny nose, drooling, watery eyes, and abnormal defecation.

2. Coprine. This toxic compound is found in the Coprinus species. Its toxicity is not easily detectable because it only becomes toxic when the mushroom is consumed with alcohol over a period of time.

What should I do if my dog eats a poisonous mushroom?

Firstly, do not allow your dog to eat any more mushrooms. If possible, collect a sample of the mushrooms eaten, as this can help identify the type of mushroom and assist your veterinarian in providing timely and appropriate treatment. The sample can be taken from the mushroom itself or documented with a photo for identification purposes.

If your dog ingests potentially toxic wild mushrooms, they should be taken to a veterinary clinic immediately for induced vomiting to expel as much of the ingested toxin as possible. Clinical symptoms can occur anywhere from 30 minutes to 1012 hours after ingestion, depending on the type of mushroom consumed. It's better to start treatment right away rather than waiting for symptoms to appear.

Your veterinarian may contact a pet poison specialist to help identify the type of mushroom and guide treatment based on the suspected species. Local mycologists may also assist in identifying the toxic mushrooms.

The treatment and recovery from mushroom poisoning largely depend on the severity of the symptoms. Some toxins are mild and can be treated with supportive care. However, for other toxins, particularly those affecting the liver, even aggressive treatment may not be enough to save the dog's life.