Granby Vet Warns Pet Owners

GRANBY, CT — With mushrooms popping up in lawns, parks and along walking trails after recent rain and humidity, Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital is warning pet owners that some wild varieties can be highly toxic to dogs and cats.

The Granby veterinary hospital said even a small bite of the wrong mushroom can be dangerous. Possible symptoms include vomiting, drooling, lethargy, trembling and trouble walking.

Some toxic mushrooms can cause severe gastrointestinal illness, seizures, liver or kidney damage, and death if not promptly treated, according to the hospital.

Because it can be difficult to identify mushrooms safely, Salmon Brook advised owners to treat any wild-mushroom ingestion as toxic unless a professional determines otherwise. Owners should regularly remove mushrooms from yards and keep dogs leashed and closely supervised in places where mushrooms may be growing.

If a pet may have eaten a mushroom, owners should call their veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately at 888-426-4435. The ASPCA says potentially toxic mushroom exposure can require urgent treatment, and that identifying the species can help determine the risk.

Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital, at 136 Salmon Brook St., can be reached at 860-653-7238. The hospital advised owners, if it is safe to do so, to take a clear photo of the mushroom to help veterinary professionals and poison-control toxicologists assess the exposure.

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