Beware, Central Texas – These Mushrooms Could Harm Your Pet

Growing up as a kid, our parents told us always to make sure that we all were vegetables so we could grow big and strong and be healthy. Mushrooms (technically a fungus, but always on our veggie plates) can be perfectly wholesome and nutritious, but some that sprout up around Austin, Texas and surrounding areas pose a threat to any fur babies that get ahold of them.

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BE CAREFUL OF WILD MUSHROOMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS

Mushrooms are actually really popular for foragers in Central Texas because of how delicious they are, but we have to keep in mind that some mushrooms are extremely dangerous for not only humans, but our furry friends as well.

KXAN-TV recently posted an interesting interview with a CenTexas veterinarian who reminds us all of the importance of watching our pets carefully when we take them outside or on walks.

Dr. Sherri Hill says that while many mushrooms seem to be perfectly safe for dogs to eat, there are some that they absolutely must avoid.

Obviously there are two issues here:

1) Dogs will eat just about anything they find on the ground, and often before we even realize they've picked something up.

2) Most laypeople have no idea how to identify which mushrooms are potentially toxic and which are ok.

WHAT DR. SHERRY SAYS ABOUT KEEPING ANIMALS SAFE

It is crucial to make sure that we do our best to prevent any of our pets scarfing down these dangerous mushrooms by at least picking them up from the yard and keeping our fur babies far away from them when going on walks or even taking them outside to use the restroom so they do not digest them.

WHAT ARE YOUR SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR?

If your animal happens to eat a wild mushroom and you’re not exactly sure if they have or have not, look for signs vomiting, diarrhea, and significant lethargy

We want to make sure that we keep our sweet babies safe. When it comes to protecting them from potentially hazardous fungus, the first step is inspecting your yard and home to make sure they're all clear. Then watch your dog carefully while you're on walks. It's easy to get lost in your own little world, but your dog's health and safety, much like a child's, depends on you being alert and putting their safety first.