Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms and Fungi?

Are mushrooms poisonous to dogs? Yes. The most common type of mushroom poisoning is from the Amanita species as dogs are attracted to their fishy odour. 

The mushrooms that are most toxic to dogs are the Amanita Phalloides (a.k.a. Death Cap). The severity of mushroom poisoning depends on the type, so if you know what mushrooms your dog has eaten, let your vet know. It does make a difference. 

can dogs eat mushrooms death cap amanita phalloids

Symptoms:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Coma 
  • Death
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhoea
  • Increased Heart Rate
  • Jaundice
  • Lethargy
  • Loss of motor control
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Weakness

It's difficult to know if your dog has eaten mushrooms unless you see them eat it, or they start vomiting up pieces. As soon as you suspect your dog ate mushrooms, go to your vet immediately. If you can, bring a sample as knowing which mushroom they've eaten helps with the diagnosis. 

Can dogs eat cooked mushrooms, though? To be on the safe side, no. There aren't any health benefits when dogs eat mushrooms that are worth potentially lethal consequences.

Mushrooms aren't safe; whenever dogs have mushrooms, there are massive negative impacts on the dogs' health. 

Depending on the species of mushroom your dog ate, symptoms will vary. It can range from mild gastrointestinal upset to the destruction of liver and kidney cells. 

Amanita Phalloides trigger fatal symptoms and can lead to death. With this specific mushroom, your dog will be dehydrated and have an increased heart rate. You might not notice this initially, but within 3-4 days, your dog will have severe liver dysfunction and brain swelling.

If you don't seek immediate treatment, it could lead to death within a week. 

Initially, your vet will do a physical examination, a biochemistry profile and a complete blood count.

They will also take blood, urine, vomit or stool samples to work out what toxin is in your dog's body and the level of toxicity. 

Immediate, aggressive treatment is necessary to stop your dog's body from absorbing the toxin. The sooner your dog gets treated, the higher the chance of survival.

There is no cure, so your vet can only provide supportive care. 

can dogs eat mushrooms fungi poisonous

Top Tips:

  • Dogs aren't allowed mushrooms of any type - from button mushrooms to wild mushrooms. Don't feed your dog any variant; none of them is safe for dogs to eat. 
  • Unless treated, mushroom poisoning can lead to kidney and liver failure, so don't wait until your dog displays symptoms. 

Treatment Plan

If possible, try to bring a sample of the mushroom to your vet. It will help your vet quickly diagnose the problem. Be prepared to answer questions about symptoms and time frames. 

Emesis - Your vet will start by inducing vomiting. It will remove as much of the mushroom pieces from your dog's stomach as possible. 

Activated Charcoal - To prevent your dog from absorbing any more toxins, your vet will give them activated charcoal.

Stomach Pump - If necessary, your vet might use a saline solution to flush the toxins out of your dog's digestive system. 

Fluid Therapy - To combat dehydration and encourage urination, your vet might use IV fluids. It will also reduce toxicity levels in the liver and kidneys. 

Medications/Additional treatments - Your dog might be given glucose and gastrointestinal protectants, with antibiotics. If need be, your vet will carry out a blood transfusion.