Subject: Mushroom poisoning of dogs

From: [email-masked] (Adolf Ceska)
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 1995 05:01:15 GMT

A dog died of what was suspected to be a mushroom poisoning on
southern Vancouver Island. The dog became violently ill and
the autopsy showed that the liver was totally destroyed.
The dog's owner brought some LBM's (little brown mushrooms),
possibly some Inocybe or Hebeloma spp., but nothing what would
be obviously poisonous. Are there any well documented records
of mushroom poisoning of dogs or other pets?

Adolf Ceska
[email-masked]

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From: Stephan Helfer <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 Nov 1995 09:39:12 -0000

Dear Adolf
There is a publication in MYCOLOGIST 8, page 50-51(1994) by Philippa 
Yam, myself and Roy Watling here at Edinburgh. The case involved a 
Springer Spaniel who had eaten Inocybe phaeocomis (apparently 
preferentially) and was admitted to the small animals clinic of the 
Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies with 
obvious symptoms of poisoning. The dog eventually recovered after 
emergency treatment and care at the clinic.

A letter to the editor of The Veterinary Record by the same authors 
was also published (Vol 133, page 24; 1993).

I have since been told by readers of the Mycologist that similar 
poisonings have happened before [Labrador dog, again involving Inocybe 
sp. (probably lacera), in southern England]. Unfortunately most of 
these cases never get recorded.

I wonder if there is any scent or taste in certain Inocybe species 
under certain circumstances which lead to this unusual behaviour in 
dogs. The Spaniel had never been known to forage for mushrooms before in her 
life, I don't know about the Labrador.

Yours sincerely

Dr Stephan Helfer, SSO
Mycologist / Plant Pathologist

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Inverleith Row, EDINBURGH EH3 5LR,
Scotland UK

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