By Jessie Keating
Special to the Sentinel
I was told that dogs know which mushrooms to eat and which to stay away from, but that is not the case for Amanita phalloides—aka the Death Cap mushroom.
As the name suggests, these mushrooms are highly toxic and are the leading cause of mushroom-induced fatalities. Dogs in general, but especially puppies, are at risk for Death Cap poisoning due to the sweet smell emitted when in season and the fishy aroma emitted during decay. Adding insult to injury, this mushroom can be found all year long and has a toxin that never degrades.
On July 29 I took my 10-month old puppy Remi walking in Arana Gulch. We took a break near a blackberry bush and as I leaned over to grab a ripe, out of reach berry, I heard Remi rummaging around in a bush. I turned to see her munching on something and wasn’t quick enough to prevent her from swallowing. I checked the ground for evidence of what she ate and saw a brown and highly squished mushroom. I pulled out my phone to look at pictures of poisonous mushrooms and sighed in relief, it didn’t resemble any of the options.
However, within six-hours of our walk, Remi started throwing up repeatedly and I realized this mushroom was not innocuous. Within 16 hours, I realized that Remi ate a Death Cap mushroom and had a 5-10% chance of living.
Remi was a Taiwanese rescue who was found in a storm drain as a puppy with her siblings. She was a fighter and my absolute best friend—so despite the poor prognosis (and pet insurance) we proceeded with aggressive treatment. Remi fought valiantly until the end. As I visited her in the hospital, the vet commented that at this stage of poisoning most dogs can barely stand up. This was in stark contrast to my little one who was not only up, but was rebelliously jumping up on the couch and trying to wriggle out of her cone despite our attempts to keep her calm. Seeing her strength made it easier for me to hold on to that desperate hope that Remi was going to pull through.
She died the next morning at 5 a.m. when, due to a presumed brain bleed, her heart stopped beating. She was my best friend and my companion in all things, even grocery shopping.
I want to do everything in my power to prevent this from happening to anyone else and have compiled a list of tips to help protect other fur-babies:
Know the area: Santa Cruz is a hot spot for Death Caps. They can be found all year long and especially in areas with pine and oak trees.
Looks are deceiving: Depending upon the location and surrounding nutrients/conditions, Death Caps can take on many different appearances. They often have a greenish-yellow cap but can also be can be green, yellow, brown, tan, and rarely white. Their shape also changes dramatically throughout maturity going from small and round to large and flat.
Come prepared: If walking in an area that supports Death Cap growth, I would recommend bringing a mushroom ID book and 3% hydrogen peroxide. If your dog eats a mushroom and there is any doubt about mushroom species, I would proceed by giving your dog 1 tsp for every 5 lbs of body weight immediately after consumption (for healthy dogs) and then take the dog to the vet with a sample of the mushroom.
Insist for a professional ID: If you are able to bring in a mushroom to the vet insist that they send it to the mycologist for a professional identification. Vets are not (usually) mushroom experts. Don’t let your dog’s course of treatment be determined by anyone other than a mushroom expert.
Remember, Death Caps can look very different, so it is very easy for misidentification which will delay aggressive treatment.
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August 16, 2020 at 07:00AM
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Puppy owner warns of Death Cap mushroom danger - Santa Cruz Sentinel
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