Dear Henry,

Are mushrooms bad for dogs?

Sincerely,

Jeffrey

Yes, mushrooms can be toxic to your pets. We have covered this before, but it sounds like it’s time to revisit this topic.

Mushroom poisoning in pets may be underestimated. Mushroom species can be difficult to nearly impossible for even mushroom experts, called mycologists, to identify. That difficulty is compounded by the fact that little is known about the potential toxicity of many species.

Mushrooms reported as edible in Europe have been associated with toxicity cases in North America and vice versa.

Mushroom toxicity reportedly can vary depending on habitat and/or what other plants or trees are growing nearby. And many mushrooms can contain more than one poisonous substance.

Toxicity also can depend on underlying health conditions in victims or on other substances they may ingest. And in our global economy, toxic mushrooms from other parts of the world that resemble species presumed edible in the United States have been imported to North America, further muddying the scene.

To be safe, it’s best to keep your pet away from all wild mushrooms and call your vet immediately if you think your animal has eaten a mushroom.

So keep an eye on your pets, pay attention to what they eat in your yard and the wild.

The safest thing to do is to pull any mushrooms on your property as soon as you see them.

PHOTO CONTEST

It’s time again to submit your furry family member’s photos to the Lake Tahoe Humane Society’s Calendar/Card photo contest. Just go to its website — http://www.LakeTahoeHumaneSociety.org — and click on the calendar link, scroll to bottom of the page, fill out form and submit your image. It’s a fun way to support the Lake Tahoe Humane Society and help them help local animals in need.

Hopeful Henry is a column managed by Niki Congero, executive director of Lake Tahoe Humane Society & S.P.C.A. Submit questions or letters via e-mail to AskHenry@LakeTahoeHumaneSociety.org or by mail to P.O. Box PET South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158. For more information, visit http://www.Facebook.com/LakeTahoe HumaneSocietySPCA, http://www.Facebook.com/Hopeful.Henry or http://www.twitter.com/LtHumaneSociety.