Dog owners, if you're used to letting Rover forage in the open space, be forewarned: It could be deadly dangerous this time of year.
Veterinarians are warning about poisonous mushrooms sprouting in the rain. The Bay Area is home to two deadly species: the Western Destroying Angel and the Death Cap.
The SAGE Veterinary Center says one dog died earlier this month after eating a Death Cap in the Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County.
The East Bay Regional Park District is warning dog owners to monitor their pets. SAGE veterinarian Ryan Goupil says it's a warning pet owners should pay attention to.
"We see about 15 a year depending on the year and how wet it is," Goupil said.
Symptoms start with an upset stomach, but dogs could quickly go into liver failure. And it's usually fatal.
When a dog named Georgie ate a Western Destroying Angel in her yard in San Mateo County, Goupil gave her an experimental treatment. And the dog survived.
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"We'll go ahead and remove the bile, where it tends to build up in concentrated areas so you don't allow the toxin to hit the liver," Goupil said.
While it's possible to treat, Goupil says it makes more sense to keep your dog away from mushrooms on the trail and at home.
"Every single morning before the dogs go out, I coach my clients to pick any mushrooms," Goupil said. "There are benign ones out there, but you never know."
