Dog Care
Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms? Shop-Bought vs Wild Mushrooms
Plain shop-bought mushrooms are generally safe for dogs in small amounts. Wild mushrooms are not. Most wild mushrooms are harmless, but the toxic ones can cause liver failure or death and are very hard to tell apart from safe ones. If your dog eats a mushroom from the garden, park or woods, call your vet or an animal poison control line straight away.
Shop-bought mushrooms
The American Kennel Club says plain grocery mushrooms, such as button, chestnut and portobello, are generally considered safe for dogs. The problem is usually what they're cooked with.
| Mushroom dish | OK for dogs? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Plain cooked button, chestnut or portobello | Small amounts | Cooked with no oil, butter, salt, garlic or onion. |
| Raw shop-bought mushrooms | A small piece | Not toxic, but harder to digest. |
| Fried or sautéed mushrooms | No | Usually cooked with butter, oil, garlic or onion. |
| Mushroom soup, sauce or gravy | No | Often contains onion, garlic, cream and salt. |
| Mushrooms on pizza or in risotto | No | Garlic, onion, cheese and salt. |
| Any wild mushroom | Never | Some species are deadly and look like safe ones. |
Why wild mushrooms are so dangerous
Only a small share of wild species are toxic, but those can be extremely dangerous, and even experts can struggle to identify mushrooms from a photo. Some toxic mushrooms cause an apparent recovery before serious liver damage shows. That's why vets treat every wild mushroom as potentially toxic.
Symptoms of mushroom poisoning
Signs depend on the species and can include:
- Vomiting, diarrhoea and drooling
- Weakness, staggering or wobbliness
- Tremors or seizures
- Yellow gums or eyes (a sign of liver damage)
- Collapse
Some dogs seem fine for hours before signs appear. Don't wait for symptoms.
My dog ate a wild mushroom: what to do
- Call your vet, an emergency clinic or an animal poison control line now.
- Take a sample if you can do it safely: wear gloves, wrap the mushroom in a damp paper towel and put it in a paper bag. Photograph the mushrooms where they grew.
- Don't make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
- Don't try to identify it yourself to decide whether to go.
Keeping your dog safe on walks
- Check your garden after rain, especially in late summer and autumn, and remove mushrooms.
- Keep dogs that scavenge on a lead in woodland and long grass.
- Teach a solid "leave it" and reward it well.
- Watch puppies closely; they explore with their mouths.
Check other foods quickly with our can my dog eat this? food checker.
Frequently asked questions
Are mushrooms toxic to dogs?
Plain shop-bought mushrooms are generally safe in small amounts. Some wild mushrooms are highly toxic, so any wild mushroom your dog eats needs a call to the vet.
Can dogs eat cooked mushrooms?
Plain cooked shop-bought mushrooms are fine in small amounts. Mushrooms cooked with butter, oil, garlic or onion are not.
My dog ate a mushroom in the garden. What should I do?
Call your vet or an animal poison control line straight away. Bring a sample wrapped in a damp paper towel in a paper bag if you can.
How long does mushroom poisoning take to show?
It depends on the species. Some cause stomach upset within hours; others take longer, and some show an apparent recovery before liver damage. Get advice straight away rather than waiting.
Can cats eat mushrooms?
Cats rarely eat mushrooms. Plain shop-bought mushrooms aren't toxic, but wild mushrooms carry the same risks as for dogs.
Sources
Guidance follows the American Kennel Club and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. This article is general information, not veterinary advice.
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