What happens if dogs eat mushrooms at the park?

You better believe there’s a lot of talk about mushrooms right now. I wonder why?
Anyway, it got me thinking. What happens if our furry family ‘forage’ something that’s not your classic mushroom from the fruit and veg section?!

Especially when some are quite appealing to canine tastebuds. And the recent weather has sprouted some little surprises in our local parks…

Well, here's your answer. And where you'll find them...

Consistently wet conditions are driving the growth of mushrooms from southern Queensland all the way down to Tasmania. And while they may look like conventional 'field' mushrooms, some are far from safe for pet stomachs...or human ones. 

And while, pets typically sniff out dangers and avoid them, these can be a different story. 

The worst offenders? The green-spored parasol, yellow staining mushrooms...and the Death Cap. They can be quite attractive to curious pets.

The result of eating them? Uncontrollable nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, neurological signs and if severe enough, liver failure can be the result.

Rather than being just an occasional nuisance, they're popping up in all kinds of places. I found this Hard Skinned Puffball in my own backyard today which has a powder inside that causes respiratory issues if inhaled...

The best prevention? Keeping dogs with hoovering tendencies on a lead when you’re in the park where wild inedible or questionable mushrooms are present. 

The tricky part is they can pop up overnight meaning vigilance is key...

Keep safe out there! In my experience, it's the high inquisitive, eat everything dogs that are most at risk but you just never know. The result of a quick munch can be far from magic...

Oh and yes. Those same store-bought mushrooms you eat are safe for pets. In moderation. But they'll need you to source them from a shop. Not the park...