RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jenna Joyner came home to her six dogs in Raleigh on Sunday and found two were dead. The other four were acting strange, stumbling and vomiting.
Joyner discovered the dogs had eaten a poisonous mushroom in the backyard. A blood exam found traces of Amatoxin in their systems. The toxicity can turn a healthy dog ill very fast.
"A dog that consumes those mushrooms can go from very sick to dead within 24 or 48 hours, so it’s a very rapid disease syndrome,” toxicologist David Doorman said.
Joyner warned all dog owners to be on the lookout for mushrooms.
“A lot of mushrooms are not toxic, but the problem is knowing which ones are and which ones aren’t,” said local vet, Dr. Jim Dobies.
It’s recommended you discard any and all mushrooms you see in your yard by putting them in a plastic bag and throwing them away, then washing your hands.
The smaller the dog, the more the mushroom, the worse the situation can be.
“We'll get dogs that are small that ingest a large quantity, and those are unfortunate cases," Dr. Dobies said. He added it’s completely unintentional “by the owner and the dog, but those products are found commonly in the yard."
As we go through spring, mushrooms are likely to flourish, but Dr. Dobies said they're not the only concern in your yard. Some common plants can also be toxic to your pets including lilies and sago palms.