With mushroom season approaching, the Animal Poisons Helpline is noting an increase in cases and calls following mushroom ingestions in companion animals, most commonly dogs.

The mushroom in the attached image is Galerina marginata, commonly known as the “Deadly Skullcap”. Galerina marginata is a small brown mushroom that contains lethal amatoxins, the same toxins found in Death Cap mushrooms. These toxins cause severe liver damage and can be fatal if ingested by pets or people. While amatoxin containing Galerina species are considered rare, there have been confirmed cases in Australia reported to the Animal Poisons Helpline.

Galerina marginata typically has a small brown cap and grows on wood, particularly rotting conifer wood, with a preference for wet, mossy environments. It often has a ring on the stem called an annulus, which looks like a small skirt or collar around the stalk. Another identifying feature is its rusty brown spore print. A spore print refers to the colour of the microscopic spores the mushroom releases, which can be seen if the cap is placed on paper and left for several hours, leaving behind a coloured imprint. While these features can help with identification, many toxic and non-toxic mushrooms look very similar, and visual identification alone can be difficult. Pets who ingest this mushroom may develop vomiting, diarrhoea, lethargy, and in severe cases acute liver failure. Signs are often delayed in onset can and will present as worsening liver damage progresses, and so early veterinary assessment can be life-saving in these cases.

During this time of the year, wild mushroom ingestions are one of the most common reasons for calls to the Animal Poisons Helpline.

Pet owners are advised to:

🍄‍Regularly inspecting gardens and lawns, particularly after rain or humid weather

🍄‍Promptly removing any mushrooms and disposing of them securely in the bin

🍄‍Keeping dogs on a lead during walks to prevent ingestions

If your pet has ingested a wild mushroom or anything else they should not have, you can call the Animal Poisons Helpline. The Animal Poisons Helpline provides expert advice to pet owners and can be reached on: ☎️ 1300 869 738 (AU), 0800 869 738 (NZ) , 3106 4216 (SG), (917) 722-5958 (US) or +1917-722-5958 (CAN).

If you are a member of a veterinary team you can also join the Animal Poisons Centre For Vets Facebook group which is regularly updated with toxicology tidbits and poisoning trends. To stay up to date with the latest pet poison alerts and receive updates directly to your inbox, visit animalpoisons.com.au/stay-up-to-date and subscribe.