Amanita phalloides, the death cap mushroom, has come out in full force since the rains started Dec 2009. We had one death at Lake Veterinary Hospital 2 weekends ago, and PETS emergency clinic in Berkeley called on Friday and said they have had 3 deaths in 6 days – all  from the Oakland area. The mushrooms have a sweet odor (like honey) and are attractive to some dogs   (whose owners report they actually seek them out to eat them).  They are  really non little white mushrooms. The toxic effects appear about 6-36 hours after the mushrooms are eaten, and once signs are seen the toxicity is poorly responsive to treatment (we try a lot of things to support the animal, but if enough mushrooms were eaten it will be fatal despite the treatment).  If someone suspects their dog may have eaten a mushroom, the best treatment is to take the dog immediately to a vet or emergency clinic and have them induce vomiting and give activated charcoal.  The mushroom toxin is absorbed fairly rapidly, but the damage to the liver can take hours before it is clinically apparent.  Don’t waste time trying to figure out if the mushroom is toxic as speed in removing the mushroom from the digestive system is the most important thing in my experience.Here is a link with some pictures http://wikipedia.org/wiki/amanita_phalloides

Although most SF/local mushrooms are not poisonous, and those that are usually cause only digestive upset (perhaps causing someone to wish they would die), Death Caps (Amanita phalloides) are aptly named. After an initial digestive upset death caps prevent liver cells from regenerating. Within a few days after ingestion there are no new liver cells to replace the old ones, and liver failure occurs. The below message describes death caps as “little white mushrooms.” Note: They might look like that in the early stages, but mature mushrooms can grow quite large (check yahoo group for photo of mushroom I’m holding in hand)  and they have a slight metallic, greenish look. Check out the wikipedia link for photos of death caps in various stages. I have seen death caps south of SF and in the east bay. There might be some in SF. The common “white mushrooms” I’ve seen in SF, e.g. growing in lawns, are not death caps (various Agaricus–see photo). Death Caps have WHITE GILLS (e.g. the radiating blades on the underside of the cap), while most of the “lawn” mushroom have brown gills. At Fort Funston beneath the trees, I’ve spotted white-gilled mushrooms, but they have shaggy scales on the cap (see photo). Not death caps. Possibly Lepiota rachodes. Don’t take a chance w/mushroom, especially death caps. Supervise your dog. If you spot death caps, you might discretely bag them up & securely dump them to prevent other dogs/people from eating them. Since I currently have a curious puppy who thinks everything is to be sampled, I’m bagging up all the mushrooms I find in my yard mainly to prevent potential digestive upsets

Here are the ones to look out for!

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) Ibuprofen (Advil) can cause gastrointestinal irritation, stomach ulcers, and kidney damage in dogs.

Naproxen (Aleve) has a long half-life in dogs and can cause gastrointestinal irritation, anemia, melena (digested blood in feces), and vomiting.

Antifreeze is very dangerous to dogs and causes central nervous system depression and acute renal failure. Treatment needs to be within eight hours of ingestion to be successful.

Mouse and rat poison ingestion is common in dogs. Most rodenticides in the United States are anticoagulant by depleting Vitamin K. This type is the most frequent cause of poisoning in pets. Third generation products contain brodifacoum or bromadiolone and are toxic after a single ingestion. Signs include spontaneous and excessive bleeding internally and externally. Treatment is with Vitamin K supplementation. Other rodenticides may contain cholecalciferol which causes hypercalcemia and leads to heart and kidney problems. Newer rodenticides may contain bromethalin which causes central nervous system signs such as seizures, muscle tremors, and depression.

Insecticides used in dogs for fleas and ticks commonly contain either organophosphates or carbamates. they can be absorbed through the skin, conjunctiva, gastrointestinal tract, and lungs. Organophosphates inhibit acetylcholinesterase irreversibly and carbamates inhibit cholinesterase reversibly. Toxicity occurs through overdosage with an appropriate product or use of an agricultural product. Signs for both include hypersalivation, vomiting, lethargy, tremors, difficulty walking, weakness, and death.

Chocolate is a common cause of poisoning in dogs. The toxic principles in chocolate are theobromine and caffeine. Baker’s chocolate is the most dangerous form since it contains higher concentrations of these drugs, followed by semi-sweet, dark, and then milk chocolate. Signs include vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, difficulty walking, seizures, and heart problems.

Lead poisoning is uncommon in dogs. Exposure to lead is from eating paint chips from lead-based paint (found in houses painted prior to 1950), and eating lead objects such as shot, fishing sinkers, or counterweights. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, diarrhea, blindness, seizures, and tremors.

Raisins and grapes are potential causes of kidney failure in dogs.

Why should my puppy attend a Social?

Puppy Socials are hour-long play sessions where puppies get to play off-leash in a supervised setting. Puppies who get to play with lots of different puppies during their early months learn how to communicate better with other dogs, learn confidence around other dogs, and are much more well-adjusted as adults.
Just playing with other dogs in your house or the neighbor’s dog isn’t enough – they need to learn to be comfortable around unfamiliar dogs too.  Dogs have different communication styles and the more dog language your puppy understands the less likely there is to be a misunderstanding between dogs. Supervision is important when puppies play too. Shy puppies can get bullied and become fearful.

Also, at this young age a puppy is learning how to use their teeth.  We want them to learn how to inhibit their bites so that their teeth don’t damage other dogs or people when they’re adults.  Simply telling them “NO” when they bite won’t teach them anything about jaw pressure.

Who is eligible to attend Puppy Socials?

Puppy Socials are for puppies aged 8 weeks to 6 months.  Check the Internet to find one that fits your needs.