Are some mushrooms poisonous for dogs?

by Dan
(Nanaimo, Canada)

QUESTION:

We like to walk our dog in our local woods. He’s off-leash for most of the time and runs around, exploring his favorite smells. He always comes back when we call.

But… we do worry that when he’s off smelling rabbits he might come across a tempting mushroom that turns out to be poisonous.

Is this a legitimate concern? Are some mushroom poisonous for dogs?


ANSWER:

Dan... Great question. We have a dog too, and we’ve wondered the same.

The short answer is yes, some mushrooms are toxic for dogs. These are the same mushrooms that are toxic for humans… like Destroying Angel mushrooms and Death Cap mushrooms. (We have whole page devoted to poisonous mushrooms.)

As for whether this is something you should worry about… probably not.

When we’re walking our own dog, we’re aware that every time he runs through the undergrowth in the woods he might get poked in the eye by a fallen branch… or take a bite from the dead and decaying corpse of a rabbit or something.

In the end, you have to just take a deep breath and let the little guy run. : )

One point I would make is that we never give our dog mushrooms as treats. Some people do. Mushrooms are nutritious. So some people will give their dog a cooked mushroom while preparing their own meals. We never do that, because we don’t want our dog to think mushrooms are a tasty food. Do that and you’re multiplying the likelihood of your dog eating wild mushrooms when out on walks.

If you think your dog might have eaten a poisonous mushroom, you should definitely take it to your vet as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, take that deep breath and enjoy your walk!