Dogs are curious by nature. Even if we feed them with the best quality dog foods, they can’t resist munching grass and sniffing everything that comes their way. Though grass eating has no adverse effect on dog’s health, however, dogs have been seen vomiting after eating something from the yard. As a matter of fact, these are poisonous mushrooms. Can dogs eat mushrooms? Let’s find out the answer in this article.
Can Dogs eat Mushrooms?
It is very common that Dog owners feed their dogs with vegetables to make sure they remain healthy by having essential vitamins. Mushroom, being a vegetable, also contains necessary nutrients which keep the dogs healthy. Mushrooms contain riboflavin, antioxidants, and vitamins- niacin. So far, so many dogs have lost their lives due to cancer. Mushrooms are also found very useful to prevent the occurrence of cancer and other diseases in dogs. That’s why mushrooms are included in dog’s diet to ensure their safety.
Precautionary Measures for feeding your dog mushrooms
If you have not fed your dog mushroom ever, then you need to be moderate in the beginning. Do not feed your dog excessive mushrooms if it has never tasted it before. Cook a small quantity of mushroom first and feed your dog. Then monitor its reaction. If your dog shows symptoms of digestions problems i.e. stomach ache or diarrhea as a result of eating mushrooms, then you have to stop feeding it mushrooms. It certainly shows your dog is unable to digest mushrooms, and you need to be careful about it.
However, if your dog doesn’t show any abnormal behavior and reacts normally, then you are clear to feed it mushrooms as part of regular diet.
Which kind of Mushrooms is safe for dogs?
Can Dogs eat mushrooms of all types? No. Provided your dog is not allergic to mushrooms, you can feed your dog mushrooms bought from supermarket only. Don’t feed it home grown mushrooms. Home-grown mushrooms are not tested and may be poisonous. Supermarket mushrooms are tested and approved by food authority.
Which kind of Mushrooms is not safe for dogs?
Wild mushrooms must be kept away from the sight of dogs. Remove mushrooms which are grown in your yard so that your dog doesn’t eat any of those. As without lab test, you cannot tell that the mushrooms grown in your yard are toxic ones or non-toxic ones. So, don’t take the risk. On consuming wild mushrooms, your dog can experience intoxication, severe poisoning, and fatal organ damage. If you care about your dog, do not let your dog eat wild mushrooms. Some of the known poisonous mushrooms are Galerina Marginata, Helvella Lacunosa, Amanita Muscaria, Amanita Gemmata, Amanita Phalloides.
What should you do if your dog eats wild mushrooms?
If your dog consumes wild mushrooms, you may observe some or all of the following signs:
- Seizures
- Lethargy
- Eyes become yellowish
- Eyes become watery
- Excessive drooling
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Upset stomach and GI distress
Due to the high level of toxicity, dogs look like they are drunk and become unable to walk. If you observe these symptoms, take them immediately to the vet. Try to give the sample of the mushroom to the vet so that they can do the treatment accordingly.
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