Mushrooms are finding their way into more meals in recent years, but can your dog enjoy a bite on mushrooms too? Find out whether dogs can eat mushrooms and which ones to avoid in our guide.
Retail-shelf fungi are a fantastic culinary asset, and humans use and appreciate them in a wide variety of dishes. Whether it’s an earthy accent to a fry up or a robust meat replacement in vegetable recipes, mushrooms come up in some of our favourite dishes. The United Kingdom is home to hundreds of unique species. It’s best to have a professional guide you if you want to go foraging for wild mushrooms, since some of them are dangerous.
Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms? is a question you may have pondered. Irritating, especially when a straggler drops something on the floor while you’re cooking or your dog gives you puppy eyes while you eat. At Purina, we have the facts on whether or not mushrooms are harmful to dogs, as well as details on which kind of mushrooms should be avoided.
I was wondering if dogs could eat mushrooms
Just like people, dogs need to be careful about the mushrooms they consume. Mushrooms, ideally organic, unseasoned, and uncooked, may be purchased at a grocery store or other store and fed to a dog. However, you should never eat wild mushrooms. As there’s such a large variety of mushrooms and they’re so difficult to tell apart, you should handle any wild mushroom with care as some are highly dangerous. As soon as you realize your dog may have ingested one, seek the advice of a veterinarian.
Remove any wild mushrooms you see growing in your yard as soon as possible.
Can dogs eat cooked mushrooms?
Your dog may safely eat cooked store-bought mushrooms if you just add a little bit of olive oil to the pan. However, mushrooms in meals are sometimes prepared with additional ingredients such as salt, as well as onions and garlic which aren’t suitable for your dog to consume, and might possibly make them ill. If you’re worried about your dog getting into the meal you’re eating, you may want to make mushrooms just for them.
Could dogs eat mushrooms?
As was already established, dogs can consume both raw and cooked mushrooms. They’re a good source of minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins B and D. They have little calories, zero fat, zero cholesterol, and almost no sodium. It’s acceptable to feed them to your dog, but they don’t need them since a high-quality, commercially available complete and balanced dog food already provides all they need.
Safe varieties of mushrooms
Most options purchased in supermarkets are fine, such as the following:
- White button
- Cremini (white or chestnut mushrooms)
- Portobello
- Porcini
- Reishi
- Shiitake
- Maitake
Poisonous wild mushrooms in the UK:
A few wild mushrooms which are poisonous to both dogs and people are:
- Death Cap (Amanita Phalloides)
- Fly Agaric (Amanita Muscaria) – the iconic fairy-tale mushroom with the red cap and white spots
- Deadly Webcap (Cortinarius Rubellus)
- Funeral Bell (Galerina Marginata)
- Destroying Angel (Amanita Virosa)
- Fool’s Funnel (Clitocybe Rivulosa)
- Panther Cap (Amanita Pantherine)
- Angel’s Wings (Pleurocybella Porrigens)
Be aware that often these mushrooms can be mistaken for the safe varieties you buy in shops, so always err on the side of caution and avoid them.
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning in dogs:
lookout for the following symptoms:
- Drooling
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain
In more serious cases:
- Collapse
- Weakness
- Organ (liver or kidney) failure
- Seizures
- Coma
If you suspect your dog’s eaten a wild mushroom, seek veterinary help right away. A speedy diagnosis and treatment are key in helping your dog recover fully and quickly.
How to feed mushrooms to your dog
If you want to offer your dog a mushroom it’s best to stick to shop-bought, raw, organic options and never feed wild mushrooms. Chop a small piece of mushroom and offer it to your dog, be aware though that not many will enjoy the taste, so don’t be surprised if they turn their nose up!