Lawn mushrooms safe for dog?

Question: Hello, 
Our dog (lab) has been vomiting several times in the past 24 hours, and we are trying to determine the cause.  The dog is otherwise energetic and alert. Could it be these lawn mushrooms? Are these toxic to dogs?  Are they brown bonnets? Greenfoot fibrecap?  Something else?  What is the safest way to remove these from a lawn to protect a pet?  Dishsoap solution? Vinegar solution? Digging them out?  We have water-saturated yards in our area.

responder: Warm Regards,   Replied October 31, 2024, 2:04 PM EDT
response: Greetings,  I am so sorry to hear about your dog.  Unfortunately we are not able to identify mushrooms on this platform due to liability and the danger of being incorrect. Mushrooms are difficult to identify, even for someone with experience. Many small details must be examined to determine the identification of the mushrooms.   However, you could try the Oregon Mycological Society |https://www.wildmushrooms.org  You could also submit it to their Facebook page for better help in identifying it. https://www.facebook.com/OregonMycologicalSociety/  Your Veterinarian may also be able to assist.  As far a managing fungus in lawns, our Faculty, Chip Bubl, shares:  Many of the mushrooms we see on lawns have a symbiotic root relationship with some of the woody plant material you may have. The mushrooms are the fruiting body that emerges from the great mass of fungal mycelium that is below the soil. If a root symbiont, it follows the roots it is attached to but goes beyond them to gather water, phosphorus, and other things the tree/shrub needs. In turn, the tree provides the sugars and other photosynthetic compounds that a higher plant can provide to the fungus.   It is possible that if you incorporated lots of organic matter, the fungi could be feeding off it and are not in a symbiotic relationship with higher plants but a species that just lives off the dead bits. Each fungus species has its path.   The bottom line is that you can't control mushrooms since it is almost impossible to control what is under the ground. In a normal year, you will see some in the spring and fall when the soils are moist. Usually a reproductive cycle (the mushroom show) only lasts for a fairly short period.    As far as removal: If you are concerned, you can remove them manually fairly easily with a shovel gently scraping at it's base or a gloved hand and you can put them out of the reach of your dog.   Sometimes you can eliminate mushrooms growing from organic matter or hasten decomposition of organic matter by applying nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. The nitrogen should be readily available and not a slow-release or water-insoluble formulation. Examples include 5 pounds of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) or special lawn fertilizers such as 6 pounds of 16-6-8 or 4 pounds of 27-3-4 per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Fertilization hastens decomposition of organic matter." http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74100.html  Follow directions on the fertilizer bag and any reentry recommendations. If your dog tends to eat unfamiliar items, you might want to let the fertilizer be fully absorbed by the lawn before letting the dog back out.    I hope that your dog recovers quickly and/or that a Veterinarian is able to confirm the cause and treatment.

responder: The Question Asker Replied October 31, 2024, 2:30 PM EDT
response: This is very helpful!  Thank you! On Oct 31, 2024, at 11:04 AM, Ask Extension wrote:﻿