Canine Kingdom Announced a Pet Safety Alert

California Dogs Die from Mushroom Poisoning

December 17, 2009

Veterinarians in Berkeley and Oakland are warning dog owners to keep their dogs away from wild mushrooms after several dogs died in the last week from eating the highly toxic Amanita mushroom.

Veterinarians said the rains have brought out all kinds of mushrooms that grow in yards, parks, sidewalk medians and wild areas. They recommend that if you have mushrooms in your yard pick them and discard them so dogs do not eat them.

If a dog eats a mushroom, it needs to be seen within an hour or two or it will be too late. Dog owners should not waste time trying to determine what kind of mushroom the dog ate - just get it to the vet immediately.

Amanita mushrooms don't look abnormal, they're just little white ones, but they are extremely toxic. The signs of toxicity show a day or two later, but by then it's too late to save the dog.

The toxins usually attack the liver. The Amanitas have a sweet smell, which causes dogs to eat them or root them out even if they are not visible. Many dogs will selectively pick them out of a crowd of other mushrooms.

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