Re:Now Mushrooms, Renee?

["J. Renee Brooks" <jrbrooks@cs.utah.edu>]

Gina Heitz wrote:
> 
> At 06:14 PM 11/14/00 -0800, you wrote:
> >I have a question about mushrooms.  ... Can they be dangerous to our dogs?  

> We have a biologist on the list and perhaps Renee can tell us more but YES
> wild mushrooms can be a serious health hazard to dogs.  I do as you do
> daily inspections and plucking.  They grow over night as mushrooms grow in
> wet dark places.

Well, like most biologists, I can tell you a lot, but most of it not
relavent to the question... so I will spare you.  For humans and dogs
alike, some mushrooms are fine, even divine, but others are deadly
poisonous, and others may just not taste that good.  One should never
hunt wild mushrooms unless you are absolutely positive you know what
you are hunting.  Not being a mycologist (a person that studies
fungus), I do the same as you and Gina, get rid of them as soon as I
see them, since I don't want to take the chance.  Even with that,
Maple has managed to gulp down some in our front yard, but luckily no
ill effect.  Hunter had the opposite experience, munching down
mushrooms that severely affected him.  So, unless you know for sure,
don't leave the mushrooms around the dogs.  

Renee
-- 
J. Renee Brooks
U.S. EPA                          (541) 754-4684 (Office)
NHEERL/Western Ecology Division   (541) 754-4799 (FAX)
200 SW 35th St                    jrbrooks@cs.utah.edu
Corvallis, OR 97333