People often ask about their pets and mushrooms. While I don't quite have an exhaustive list about different animals, one area I am passionate about is dogs and mushrooms. I am a dog LOVER and as a mushroom farmer, I often have mushrooms around the house. So I looked into what happens if a dog eats a mushroom. The answer of if this is okay is actually pretty easy, but there are some important things to note:
According to the American Kennel Club, the kind of mushroom matters. Wild mushrooms should probably be avoided, given you may misidentify it or your dog can consume it before you can properly address the mushroom. If your dog eats a mushroom and you have reason to believe it is potentially or certainly toxic, contact your vet or emergency animal support immediately. Some people believe dogs have an innate sense to identify which mushrooms are toxic and this is just not true. If your dog has eaten mushrooms and is experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, excessive salivation, weakness/lethargy, seizures, or any other abnormality, GET YOUR PUP SOME HELP NOW.
That out of the way, what CAN your pup eat? Most of your store-bought varieties and also gourmet varieties are typically safe for dogs - but, as with most things, there is a catch. Typically we don't eat mushrooms raw and it's okay to serve cooked mushrooms to your dog. BUT!!! (dramatic effect here for a reason) If your mushrooms have been overly seasoned, sauced, or cooked with garlic or onion, THIS IS NOT SAFE. Dogs can't handle sodium as well as humans and they simply cannot digest onions/garlic. So be mindful to make mushrooms FOR your pet, if you're going to serve them it. The American Kennel Club recommends avoiding feeding them this for this reason, but there are definitely safe ways to feed them something they might really enjoy. Just go easy on the butter, oils, salts, and any additional ingredients.
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