Mushroom Toxicity. Chagrin Falls, Ohio; October 14, 2008 In many areas of the country, heavy rains and the start of cooling weather brings out a fresh crop of mushrooms. Many mushrooms are potentially toxic and can affect our pets. Recent storms and downpours have created a surge of sick dogs. Dogs with vomiting, nausea and diarrhea are flooding veterinary offices particularly in the south. The signs are linked to pets that have eaten a fungus found in most yards; namely mushrooms. Some of the dogs get sick and recover but a few have died within 12 hours of injecting the toxic mushrooms. The recent rains made conditions perfect for an explosive growth of mushrooms. Moist soil is an ideal medium for mushrooms to flourish. Pet owners need to be on the alert. When most owners discover a batch of mushrooms in their yard, their first instinct is usually to pick them up to protect their pets, but that’s not actually the best thing to do.
Not only can the mushrooms be poisonous to your hands, but they will also re-grow quickly. It’s better to grab a rake, dig up the whole batch and discard it. Unfortunately there is almost no way to tell which mushrooms are potentially toxic and which are safe when it comes to pets. Since mushroom toxicity is hard to diagnose and even harder to treat in pets, being on the lookout and getting rid of them make sense when it comes to protecting your pets health.
