Mushrooms are filled with protein, vitamins, and nutrients that are beneficial for humans.
But can dogs eat them too? If your dog loves having a bite of your mushroom leftovers, you may wonder if it is safe to keep doing so.
If you are wondering if they can eat edible mushrooms, read on to find out!
There are many different varieties of mushrooms, of which most are edible.
However, it can sometimes be hard to determine which is safe for both humans and dogs.
Mushrooms are a complicated food group — while edible mushrooms are a staple, there have been many stories about how eating them can go wrong.
When it comes to dogs, the answer is the same — dogs are able to eat certain types of mushrooms but not others.
Edible Mushrooms That Dogs Can Eat
As mentioned, dogs are able to eat certain types of mushrooms, including store-bought mushrooms.
These mushrooms include:
1. Shiitake
Not only do these provide a healthy source of protein for humans, but it also does so for dogs.
Shiitake can provide your dog with zing, fiber, niacin, and more.
2. Maitake
This type of mushroom is known usually used for healing practices in Chinese and Japanese culture, due to its medicinal properties.
3. Reishi
Similar to Maitake, Reishi mushrooms provide health benefits for dogs too, further alleviating allergy symptoms.
It can also improve canine digestion and strengthen their immune system.
4. White Button
White button mushrooms can be found all over the world and can provide your dog with vitamin B and potassium.
White button mushrooms can also turn into Crimini and Portobello after further growth.
5. Crimini
This is a type of button mushroom that is brown and provides the same nutritional benefits as white button mushrooms.
6. Portobello
The portobello mushroom is a mature version of a white button mushroom and offers the same nutritional value as a white button mushroom.
7. Porcini
Porcini mushrooms are available seasonally and grow in the wild.
Edible store-bought mushrooms can be beneficial to your dog’s diet and provide them with essential nutrients and minerals such as Vitamin B.
Toxic Mushrooms That Dogs Can’t Eat
While 99% of mushrooms are edible, you should also keep your eye on your dog when they are roaming outdoors, in case they eat a toxic mushroom.
Some toxic wild mushrooms include:
- Amanita phalloides
- Galerina marginate
- Amanita gemmate
- Amanita muscaria
- Gyromitra spp
- Inocybe spp
If you are unsure of what mushroom your dog ate, it is important that you keep an eye out for any symptoms your dog may have of mushroom poisoning.
While symptoms differ, depending on the particular mushroom, some common symptoms include:
- Weakness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Seizure
- Coma
If you suspect that your dog ate a wild mushroom, you should contact your vet immediately for a more accurate
Feeding Your Dog Mushrooms
If you are considering feeding your dog edible mushrooms, you should do so in moderation.
This is as feeding them too many mushrooms may lead to indigestion.
While mushrooms bought in grocery stores are generally safe for dogs, seasonings are not.
When feeding your dog mushrooms, it is important to cook them plain with no seasonings.
Although fresh and dried mushrooms may contain more nutrients, it is not advisable that you feed dogs uncooked mushrooms.
This is as they do not have enzymes in their body to help them break down fibers in these raw mushrooms.
When feeding them to your dog, it is ideal that you do so with their main meal, rather than feeding them mushrooms separately.
Remember to look out for their reaction if it is their first time eating a mushroom.
Like any other new foods, it is best that you introduce mushrooms to your dog’s diet gradually.
This will prevent any stomach upset in your dog.
Slowly increase the number of mushrooms you feed them over a period of time and look out for any signs of illness.
While mushrooms can be beneficial for dogs, it is not necessary. It is important that you play it safe.
Preventing Your Dog From Eating Wild Mushrooms
Although store-bought mushrooms are safe for dogs in moderation, wild mushrooms are not.
While your dog may be quick to ingest mushrooms when outdoors, you can still take steps to limit this risk.
One way to do so is to train your dog to follow your commands and move away from mushrooms.
Encourage them to move away from wild mushrooms by being firm.
If you like to let your dog roam without a leash, you should inspect the surroundings for any mushrooms before doing so.
Always watch over your dog when they are outside and don’t leave them unattended.
Overall Thoughts
As you can never be 100% sure if a mushroom is edible or toxic in the wild, it is best that you keep your dog away from these mushrooms when outdoors.
If you suspect that your dog has eaten a toxic mushroom, visit your vet immediately.
Picking this up earlier can help the recovery process too.
Eating edible mushrooms can be beneficial for your dog if done right.
Remember to feed them in moderation and look out for any signs of illness or allergies.
As some dogs love mushrooms, others don’t so keep an eye for their body language too when feeding them