“Can my Dog eat mushrooms?” may sound like an easy question that would have a yes or no answer, but it is slightly more complicated. Specific types of mushrooms are permitted but not recommended because there are poisonous wild mushrooms. Just as mushrooms can be toxic to humans, you should never eat a wild mushroom, and the same principle applies to dogs.
Many species are toxic and can make a dog sick, so if you don’t know the difference, your dog can suffer from a serious illness if they ingest a mushroom that could pose a risk. It is a good rule that your dog should never eat a wild mushroom, and if it does, contact your vet or poison control. Read below for what mushrooms are safe for your dog and what should be avoided.
Are store-bought mushrooms toxic to dogs?
A good rule of thumb to remember is that if the mushroom is safe for humans, it is safe for dogs. So store-bought mushrooms are considered safe for your dog.
Although store-bought mushrooms are safe for your dog, that does not mean it is healthy. Many people saute’ mushrooms in butter and spices, which is not healthy or recommended for your dog. If you eat the mushroom plain, you can feed it to your pet, but mushrooms are not needed in your pet’s diet.
Can dogs eat wild mushrooms?
Pet owners are often worried about the safety of wild mushrooms and if they are toxic or harmful for their dog to ingest. As the Cleveland Clinic found,
“Only about 3% of known mushroom varieties are poisonous, and the symptoms of poisoning can vary from gastrointestinal discomfort to liver failure and death, depending on the type of toxin ingested.”
Many wild mushrooms are not toxic, but it may be difficult to tell the difference if you are not a mycologist. Poisonous wild mushrooms can cause severe illness or even death, so it is best to be cautious and not allow your pet to eat them.
If you are familiar with species of mushrooms that grow near your home, some offer health benefits like the psilocybe cyanescens, which contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. If you identify these and feed them to your dog, they may help lower the risks of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
Health Benefits of mushrooms:
- Increases your pup’s energy and stamina
- Regulation of blood sugar
- Promotes a healthy nervous system
It is always best to consult your veterinarian before changing your dog’s diet.
What wild mushrooms are toxic to dogs
If your dog loves to walk and try everything new and exciting, knowing what wild mushrooms are toxic to your pet can help you identify a poisonous mushroom or one of the thousands of harmless wild species.
Veterinarians still caution against trying to identify the mushroom yourself even if you are familiar with various poisonous mushrooms and urge clients to bring their dogs in for treatment.
Even when dog owners recognize various poisonous mushrooms, they should not allow their pets to eat them. Poisonous wild mushrooms are not very common, but they are dangerous, and some resemble popular species of edible mushrooms.
Poisonous Mushrooms
- Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) is the most toxic mushroom in the US and possibly worldwide.
- Funeral Bell or Deadly Skullcap (Galerina marginata)
- Jack o’ Lantern (Omphalotus olearius)
- Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
- False Morel (Gyromitra esculenta)
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning in Canines?
If your pup accidentally ingests wild mushrooms, you should observe your dog closely. Many of the wild mushrooms you see will not be poisonous, but poisonous mushrooms can cause severe reactions and possible death when they are.
Depending on the mushroom ingested and the toxins present, your dog’s symptoms can range from gastrointestinal upset to severe complications like kidney and liver failure. The Amanita Phalloides or death cap contains the most potent deadly toxins and have the highest risk of mortality when eaten.
A pet who has eaten the death cap will experience dehydration and an erratic and increased heart rate which many owners will not notice. Most dogs will physically appear fine for the first 2-3 days after eating a death cap, so many owners may overlook a trip to the local veterinarian clinic since the dog is not displaying any illness.
At 3-4 days, dogs will start to become ill with liver dysfunction, and the brain may begin to swell at this point. If you do not get your pet to a vet immediately and treated, these effects may lead to death within days of ingestion.
The symptoms that each dog exhibits from mushroom poisoning depend on the type of mushroom eaten. If you believe your canine has ingested wild mushrooms, contact your vet immediately, even if symptoms have not appeared.
Common symptoms of mushroom poisoning in dogs:
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Seizures
- Vomiting and abdominal pain
- Weakness and loss of motor control
- Jaundice
- Coma and death
How to treat mushroom poisoning in dogs?
Your dog’s treatment will depend on the species of mushroom that your dog ate.
Treatment will begin by inducing vomiting to remove toxins from your pet’s system. Fluid therapy is used to encourage urination and reduce the level of toxins in the liver. Dogs are treated with charcoal to neutralize stomach acids and bind toxins.
Dogs have been documented as having been poisoned most often from the Death Cap, a member of the Amanita species, and it appears canines are attracted to the fishy odor these mushrooms give off. If you saw your pet eating wild mushrooms, immediately get him to the veterinarian. If possible, collect a mushroom sample in a paper bag because it can help the vet diagnose your pet.
Ingesting wild mushrooms can be severe and possibly life-threatening to your pet. Kidney or liver failure can lead to coma or death due to the accumulation of poisonous toxins in your dog’s system. If you believe that your dog has ingested wild mushrooms, do not wait for symptoms to appear and contact your local animal clinic.
Visit your veterinarian immediately so they can diagnose and treat your pup early on. Prompt emergency measures to reduce toxicity levels are crucial to recovery for your pet.
Other treatments for severe cases of mushroom poisoning:
- Glucose and gastrointestinal protectants
- Antibiotics.
- Blood transfusions
- Oxygen and anti-seizure medicine
Safe Wild Mishrooms
Although it is preferred that a dog eat store bought mushrooms because some safe, wild mushrooms have poisonous look alikes there are easily identifiable wild mushrooms. Many of these easily identified wild mushrooms that have no toxic look alikes are favored among ameature and novice mushroom hunters.
There are ways to safely scout and forage for mushrooms with the use of books and apps that will help you identify safe and nutritious mushrooms that you can add to your pups diet. Remember when hunting for mushrooms to always verify what you have though the use of online applications and books on the subject befour ingesting.
Safe Wild Mushrooms for Dogs (and Humans)
- Sulfur shelf mushroom are favored among novices, easy to spot and they have a rich, meaty flavor amd contain vitamin C, potassium and fiber.
- Oyster mushrooms are mild tasting and They also contain powerful anti-inflammatory plant compounds, including triterpenoids, glycoproteins, and lectins
- Hen of the Woods is a fovotie for beginners, without any dangerous look alikes, and research shows that these mushrooms may have anticancer, cholesterol-reducing, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Can dogs eat cooked mushrooms?
Dogs can eat store-bought mushrooms. Preparing them correctly is important because they are cooked with butter, heavy oils, salt, or garlic, which can upset your stomach.
Instead of giving your pup mushrooms off your plate, prepare them separately and only use olive oil for cooking them. Vegetable oil, butter, and fat are considered harmful oils for preparing food for a dog.
Are Uncooked mushrooms safe for dogs?
If you plan to feed your dog mushrooms, make sure they are store-bought and cooked. Raw mushrooms can upset your canine’s stomach because they are harder to digest and cause diarrhea and vomiting.
Health benefits of mushrooms for dogs
Mushrooms offer a variety of nutrients that provide mammals such as canines and humans with many health benefits.
Adding mushrooms to your dog’s diet can help:
- Anit inflammatory properties for joint health
- Support liver function
- Turkey Tail, Reishi, and Shiitake, among others, have potential anti-tumor properties.
- Stabilize blood sugar levels
- Boost immune system
- Reduce blood pressure
- Prevent heart disease
Safe ways to feed your dog mushrooms?
The best way to feed your dog mushrooms is to use fresh, dried, and organic mushrooms from the store instead of canned, so your dog gets the most nutrients from each serving.
When purchasing mushrooms for your dog’s diet, it is essential to know what benefits each mushroom has for your dog’s system:
- Cremini Mushrooms- Calcium, selenium, potassium
- Shiitake – antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-tumor properties
- Porcini – niacin, potassium, selenium, and protein.
- Maitake – may fight tumors while boosting the immune system
- Turkey Tail – fights cancer, promotes the immune system, and supports healing
Adding various mushrooms to your dog’s diet can be beneficial if prepared correctly. A bone broth is a stock liquid cooked using raw bones, skin, feet, and tendons, whatever you have on hand. This will increase the nutritional content of your dog’s bone broth.
Recipe for Bone Broth
Ingredients for Bone Broth
- 1 pound beef marrow bones
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- water
- 6–10 chicken feet (optional)
- 3 inches ginger root, sliced (optional)
- 2 ounces parsley, chopped (optional)
- 4 ounces Shiitake mushrooms (optional)
- Two stalks of celery, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced (optional)
Instructions
- Add the bones to the slow cooker or pot. You can use any bones chicken feet, necks, lamb, duck or turkey necks, beef marrow bones, and uncooked bones that contain more nutrients. After the bones are added, you can add any of the optional ingredients listed above that you will be using (mushrooms. garlic, ginger, parsley) along with the celery stalks.
- Add water to the pot until it covers the bones. Then add the apple cider vinegar to the pot of water. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 24 hours. Make sure to check the pot occasionally and add more water if it does not cover the top of the bones.
- Next, strain the broth into a storage container. Reme because you never feed cooked bones to a dog. After cooking, the bones are brittle and could damage your dog’s digestive tract.
- Cool for 3 hours in the refrigerator, then remove the layer of fat that has congealed on the top, and now it is ready to serve your dog.
How can you add mushrooms to your dog’s diet?
If you consider adding mushrooms to your dog’s diet, you will want to incorporate them over a few weeks slowly. Once your pup is used to them, you can use the above bone broth recipe for an added source of nutrition.
Conclusion
If prepared correctly and approved for animal consumption, mushrooms can be a beneficial additive to your dog’s diet. With the thousands of varieties in mushrooms, it can be difficult to distinguish a safe mushroom from one that is poisonous in the wild.
As a pet owner, it is best to practice caution and avoid all wild mushrooms and only allow your pup to eat store-bought mushrooms. Even though only 3% of all mushroom species are poisonous, do not take the chance of your pet ingesting any because death can occur from consuming poisonous wild mushrooms.
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*photo by EBFoto – depositphotos
