Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy died suddenly after eating toxic mushrooms containing
By Lake, Zachary et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2025·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Case Report: α-amanitin toxicosis leading to acute death in a puppy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-week-old male Shetland Sheepdog was brought to the vet after suddenly vomiting and having diarrhea, which quickly worsened to severe lethargy and low blood sugar. Unfortunately, despite aggressive treatment, the puppy's condition deteriorated rapidly, leading to multiple organ failure and cardiac arrest within just 22 hours. A post-mortem examination revealed that the puppy had ingested mushrooms containing a dangerous toxin called α-amanitin, which caused severe damage to his liver, kidneys, and brain. This case serves as a reminder of how quickly this toxin can affect young dogs and the importance of immediate veterinary care if mushroom ingestion is suspected.
People also search for: puppy vomiting diarrhea · Shetland Sheepdog mushroom poisoning · acute liver failure in puppies
Abstract
A 12-week-old, male intact, Shetland Sheepdog presented with acute onset vomiting and diarrhea, rapidly progressing to stupor and hypoglycemic shock following ingestion of α-amanitin-containing mushrooms. Despite aggressive therapeutic interventions, the patient exhibited rapid systemic deterioration characterized by recurrent hypoglycemia, hypotension, and multi-organ failure, leading to cardiopulmonary arrest within 22 h of presentation. Definitive diagnosis was unable to be elucidated prior to death, leading to an untailored treatment plan. Post-mortem analysis confirmed extensive necrosis of the liver, kidneys, and brain. Presence of α-amanitin was confirmed in the hepatic tissue via post-mortem liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Serum collected at presentation was submitted post-mortem for an insulin level which was found to be discordantly elevated, which may demonstrate an alternative mechanism of hypoglycemia in this case. This case highlights the rapidly lethal potential of α-amanitin in pediatric patients and the non-classical case presentation. This report contributes to the limited veterinary literature on this toxin in pediatric patients and underscores the need for heightened awareness and rapid diagnosis and treatment in suspected cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40607356/