Mushrooms & Fungi
Can dogs and cats eat wild mushrooms?
Short answer on wild mushrooms: a veterinary emergency for both dogs and cats. See what to watch for and the veterinary sources behind each answer.
If your pet ate this, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center immediately.
Call ASPCA: (888) 426-4435One food, two pets
What changes between dogs and cats?
Dogs and cats both have a emergency verdict.
The label matches, but the two answers are not interchangeable. Check the bottom line for your pet below.
- Bottom line differs
Wild Mushrooms safety for dogs
Because a toxic mushroom cannot be reliably told apart from a harmless one without expert identification, any wild mushroom eaten by a dog should be treated as an emergency.
Toxic principle: varies by species: amatoxins, muscarine, ibotenic acid/muscimol, gyromitrin, and others
Watch for
- vomiting
- drooling
- disorientation
- tremors
- seizures
- with liver-toxic species, jaundice and liver failure days later
Wild Mushrooms safety for cats
The same uncertainty applies to cats: an unidentified wild mushroom should be treated as an emergency because a small number of species can cause fatal liver or kidney damage.
Toxic principle: varies by species: amatoxins, muscarine, ibotenic acid/muscimol, gyromitrin, and others
Watch for
- vomiting
- drooling
- disorientation
- tremors
- seizures
- with liver-toxic species, jaundice and liver failure days later
Questions owners ask about wild mushrooms
Can dogs eat wild mushrooms?
Because a toxic mushroom cannot be reliably told apart from a harmless one without expert identification, any wild mushroom eaten by a dog should be treated as an emergency.
What should I do if my dog ate wild mushrooms?
Contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear before calling.
What symptoms should I watch for with wild mushrooms and dogs?
vomiting, drooling, disorientation, tremors, seizures, with liver-toxic species, jaundice and liver failure days later. If you notice any of these, contact your veterinarian.
Can cats eat wild mushrooms?
The same uncertainty applies to cats: an unidentified wild mushroom should be treated as an emergency because a small number of species can cause fatal liver or kidney damage.
What should I do if my cat ate wild mushrooms?
Contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 immediately. Do not wait for symptoms to appear before calling.
What symptoms should I watch for with wild mushrooms and cats?
vomiting, drooling, disorientation, tremors, seizures, with liver-toxic species, jaundice and liver failure days later. If you notice any of these, contact your veterinarian.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian about your pet's diet and health.
Read our methodology for how every verdict is sourced and reviewed.