Can Dogs Eat Mushrooms & Where Can You Find The Safe Ones?

When people have pets, they are constantly concerned about their health and they want to do everything in their power to keep those animals both happy and extremely healthy. I am sure that you are no different and that you would do anything it takes to ensure your dog’s well-being. Well, if that’s your plan, then you’ll have to make sure that it’s getting enough exercise, as well as that it is properly fed. Go here to learn about the foods it should never eat.

If you are like most pet owners, you will probably get tempted to experiment with certain ingredients and foods that you are frequently consuming. Most likely, you will want to check whether your canine will like some of the same foods that you like. And, while you wouldn’t even think of giving them chocolate, you will most certainly consider feeding them certain healthier snacks, such as mushrooms for example.

Of course, you won’t even think about doing that for real before doing your proper research and finding out whether these are actually safe for your dogs or not. This is because you are a responsible owner who wouldn’t want to risk his or her pet’s health just because they are curious about something. Well, it’s time to satisfy your curiosity and help you realize if mushrooms are safe for your dogs or not.

It’s Complicated

While you might have expected a simple and straightforward answer, the truth is that I cannot give you one like that. I hate to disappoint you, but things are a bit more complicated than that, which means that this is not a “yes or no” question and that it needs to be answered with more details. Now, I could undoubtedly give you a short answer and say “yes”, but that could lead to you feeding your dog something harmful and dangerous, and I am sure you wouldn’t want that to happen.

So, if the question “can dogs eat mushrooms” is swirling around your head and you cannot seem to get it out, I suggest you keep on reading to figure out precisely when these products can be safe and when they shouldn’t be given to canines. As mentioned above, this is a question that’s not so easily answered. Yet, if you continue reading, you’ll find the explanations you need in order to understand if giving your pets these products is a good idea or not.

Some Are Toxic

If you think about it really carefully, the next thing I am about to say will sound perfectly logical to you. Basically, you should keep in mind that some mushrooms can be quite toxic for dogs and they could even lead to lethal outcomes. This should be logical since the simple truth is that some mushrooms can also be quite toxic to people as well. I suppose that you already knew this, which is why the statement hasn’t come as a surprise.

Generally, you should stay clear of all wild mushrooms, because it is frankly not worth the risk. Sure, you might come across certain wild mushrooms that are perfectly safe to be consumed, but you might just as well stumble upon some poisonous ones. Unless you are a true expert in this area, you will hardly be able to differentiate between these two, which is why I suggest you play it safe and stay clear of all the wild ones.

When you buy these products in stores, though, you will be completely sure that they aren’t poisonous. And yet, this doesn’t automatically mean that they are safe for your dogs. People tend to add certain seasonings and sauces in order to make these products taste better and those can often be rather harmful for your canine’s health. So, in addition to avoiding wild mushrooms, you should also avoid the ones that are covered with sauces, seasonings and oils.

Where The Safe Ones Are

The above brings us to a simple, and yet a rather important conclusion. Basically, there are mushrooms that are in fact safe for your dogs, but you should be rather careful about that. The safe ones are store bought and served completely plain, without the addition of oils, seasonings or sauces. I suppose this is also perfectly logical for you, which is why there’s no need for me to explain why only the plain and store-bought ones are safe.

Here’s some more info about their safety: https://www.thesprucepets.com/can-dogs-eat-mushrooms-4845258

Of course, if you decide to introduce these products to your canine’s diet, you should keep in mind that they should be given in moderation. Even when you serve them plain and thus ensure that your dog is consuming something perfectly healthy and safe for them, you shouldn’t quite exaggerate with the portions. Serving them some mushrooms every once in a while won’t harm them in any way, but exaggerating with them certainly isn’t a good idea.

Your Dogs Don’t Really Need Them

Now, here is something that you need to understand before deciding whether to give mushrooms to your canines. The simple fact is that your dogs don’t actually need these ingredients to be added to their diet, since they can have completely healthy and extremely nutritious meals that include no mushrooms at all. This is why playing it safe and rewarding your pet with certain other healthy snacks is a great idea, since there’s no point in risking harming them.