For years dog parents have shied away from feeding dogs mushrooms because they believed mushrooms were poisonous to their dogs.
While there are some mushrooms that are poisonous to both humans and dogs many are rich in health benefits to help your dog thrive.
Mushrooms are known to hold anti-allergic, anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties.
Recent research is uncovering more health benefits of mushrooms for you and your dog.
Papatunuku has provided us with these amazing species; and all we need to do is learn how to use them for the health and well-being of your dog.
What are Mushrooms?
Mushrooms are super cool. They belong to the fungi kingdom, separate from plants and animals. They obtain their nutrients in a unique way to that of plants and animals.
Their mycelium (microscopic rooting threads) grows into or around the food source, secretes enzymes that digest the food externally, and the mycelium then absorbs the digested nutrients.They play a critical role in our eco system. Without them the world would not exist. The documentary Fantastic Fungi takes a deep dive into the world of fungi and mushrooms, which we highly recommend.
So how do these unique species benefit your dog and why should you add mushrooms to your dog’s diet? Let’s take a closer look into the different types of mushrooms, their benefits and how best to incorporate them into your dog’s feeding regime.
Types of Mushrooms
There are four categories of mushrooms:
Culinary
Medicinal
Hallucinogenic
Poisonous
For this article, we will not discuss the hallucinogenic ones.
Culinary Mushrooms
These are the mushrooms you use in cooking. There are variety of these mushrooms from your white button mushrooms, portobello to fancier more expensive and harder to find varieties. As these mushrooms are safe for you and me to consume, they are also safe for your dog.
Culinary Mushrooms include:
Button mushrooms
Portobello
Oyster
Crimini
Porcini
Shiitake
Chanterelle
Mushrooms contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre and protein. The list is quite extensive:
Pre-biotics
Selenium
Vitamin C
Choline
Potassium
Folate (Vitamin B9)
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Vitamin D
Copper
Iron
Phosphorous
These nutrients are also found in medicinal mushrooms with extra health benefits.
Medicinal Mushrooms
Eastern medicine has used medicinal mushrooms for thousands of years.
Medicinal mushrooms contain the same beneficial properties as the culinary mushrooms, but they also carry some super charged properties too:
Triterpene
Phytonutrients
Polysaccharides
Beta-glucan
These properties enable medicinal mushrooms to be extra powerful. Research shows that medicinal mushrooms can help with immune regulation, mood enhancement, cancer and gut health.
Medicinal mushrooms include:
Turkey tail
Shiitake
Reishi
Chaga
Maitake
Lion’s mane
Cordyceps
Posinous & Wild Mushrooms
Firstly, not all wild mushrooms are poisonous. Unless you have extensive knowledge in foraging and wild mushrooms do not let your dog eat them.
There are about 100 species of mushrooms that are poisonous and can be very toxic to you and your dog.
7 of the most poisonous mushrooms are:
Death Cap
Conocybe filaris
Webcaps
Autumn Skullcap
Destroying Angels
Podostroma
Deadly Daperling
Signs that your dog may have consumed a toxic mushroom include:
Weakness
Lack of coordination
Tremors
Vocalisation
Disorientation
Agitation
Seizures
Take your dog immediately to your local veterinarian if you suspect your dog has ingested a toxic mushroom.
Benefits of Mushrooms for Dogs
Mushrooms have properties for both preventative and proactive care. They also support existing health conditions.
More specifically mushrooms help:
Balance the immune system
Nourish the gut and protect it as they are prebiotics
Promote longevity
Control inflammation and blood sugar
Cancer prevention
Individuals who eat 18grams of mushrooms – or about 1/8 to ¼ cup – daily have a 45% lower risk of cancer compared to those who do not eat mushrooms.Not all mushrooms are the same. Each type has their own unique benefits. It also depends on where the mushrooms are grown, how they are grown and harvested.
Medicinal mushrooms are slightly different because the mushrooms need to be in a super concentrated form for your dog to reap the benefits. A powder or tincture-based product made specifically for pets is the easiest option.
How Much to Feed
When feeding culinary mushrooms start with 1tbsp of lightly cooked mushrooms per 5kg. For powder or tincture products follow the directions on the package.
Ensure that your dog is fed a variety of mushrooms, so they enjoy the different benefits. Rotation is key to helping your dog thrive.
Mushrooms are great food to include in your dog’s diet either as a wholefood, powder, or tincture. The list of benefits of these fungi for your dog are long. Remember, do your research, and talk with your local integrative or holistic veterinarian for further guidance.
