Seek help from your vet right away, as, вЂњYour veterinarian may be able to provide an antidote, called atropine, to help reverse those symptoms,вЂќ says Wismer.The African wild dog is an endangered species which typically roams the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Some signs to look out for include: Hypersalivation, diarrhea, excessive tear production, urinary incontinence, vomiting and abdominal pain, while more severe signs may include trouble breathing, wheezing or coughing. Clinical signs can be seen within twoВ hours of ingestion, or even sooner in some cases. вЂњWith early detection and treatment, your dog will have a fair to good prognosis,вЂќ says Good. Commonly found across Western North America, these mushrooms can appear white or light brown in color and have white spores and white or pale-colored gills. Mushrooms of the InocybeВ species or ClitocybeВ species contain muscarinic agents, these toxins produce dysfunction at certain nerve endings.

Mushrooms that include muscarinic agents include: вЂњClinical signs can be seen within 30 minutes to 12 hours following ingestion, and include excessive sedation, trouble walking (ataxia), disorientation, pinpoint pupils (miosis), stiffness, weakness, seizures, tremors, respiratory depression and even coma or death,вЂќ says Good.В That being said, the prognosis for dogs that consumes these mushrooms is fair to good with early, aggressive treatment. These mushrooms commonly grow in wooded areas throughout North America and have a red cap, which can also appear orange or yellow in color, and have white spots on the stem. вЂњThe toxicity results in psychotropic signs involving the central nervous system, including confusion, visual distortion, a feeling of greater strength, delusions or convulsions,вЂќ says Good. вЂњIngestion of the species Amanita pantherina known as the Panther Cap and Amanita muscaria also referred to as the Fly Agaric, are more commonly poisonous to humans, but can also affect your dog, due to the presence of isoxazole toxins. If your dog is brought to the vet right after ingesting the mushroom, veterinarians may induce vomiting and use activated charcoal to bind the toxins to stop them from being absorbed. Some of these liver-toxic amanita mushrooms are common in areas of California, but can be found in others locations across the U.S. вЂњWe can support them and try to protect the liver, but typically if the symptoms persist for two to three days after exposure, itвЂ™s too late.вЂќ вЂњIn people, who have accidentally ingested these mushrooms, you can do a liver transplant, but we donвЂ™t do those in dogs,вЂќ shares Wismer. These species of mushrooms are especially dangerous, because not only do they attack a major organ, but you wonвЂ™t see signs for several hours after ingestion. вЂњThis class of mushroom is responsible for the vast majority of both human and pet fatalities worldwide,вЂќ says Good. Species that contain these toxins include Amanita phalloides, known as the Death Cap or Death Angel, Amanita ocreataВ also referred to as the Angel of Death, the LepiotaВ or False Parasol and Galerina, which are small nondescript, brown mushrooms that grow in mossy or forested areas after a heavy rain. вЂњThe most dangerous species of mushrooms contain hepatotoxic cyclopeptides, such as amatoxins (the most toxic), phallotoxins, and virotoxins,вЂќ says Good. Mushrooms that present the greatest threat for dogs are what veterinarians refer to as liver-toxic mushrooms. Amanita phalloides (Death Cap Mushroom) Image: Michaela Stejskalova / Shutterstock вЂњGiven the difficulty in identifying which species a dog may come across, all mushroom ingestions should be treated as emergencies by owners and veterinarians alike.вЂќДЄs a general rule, try your best to keep your dog away from mysterious mushrooms growing outdoors and read on for some common poisonous mushrooms that you may encounter: вЂњOwners must always be aware that there are poisonous plant and fungal species that exist in the wild,вЂќ says Jennifer Good, DVM, and staff doctor at NYCвЂ™s Animal Medical Center. вЂњSome wild mushrooms are liver toxic, others cause neurological issues, and even the least potentially dangerous species can cause severe signs of stomach upset,вЂќ explains Tina Wismer, a board-certified veterinarians and medical director of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

And while store-bought mushrooms are actually safe for your dog, the ones that grow in the wild-even if they look similar-are not. While some dangerous mushrooms may have obvious warning signs, like stay-away red caps, others can appear rather benign and look similar to the mushrooms you may buy at tho grocery store. Poisonous mushrooms that grow in the wild can be extremely difficult to identify, but they cause serious harm to your dog if youвЂ™re not careful.

Are wild dogs dangerous