Poisonous mushrooms cropping up in the Pacific Northwest

As dog lovers know...our furry friends will eat almost anything, so it's our job to ensure they are safe by keeping toxic substances far out of reach. Here's one more thing to add to the list: mushrooms...or a specific kind of mushroom known as a "death cap." Just yesterday, King County health officials issued a warning about "death caps," and while this warning is meant for humans, it also applies to canines.

Death caps -- or Amanita phalloides -- were thought to be rare in the Pacific Northwest, but this season they are cropping up in the wild, in local parks, and even in our own back yards -- some were spotted in Seattle's Carkeek Park a few weeks ago -- easy pickings for our intrepid pooches.

So, here are a couple of photos of what they look like and sadly, we are also including this link to a flyer sent to us by a woman who lost her dog in August to this deadly mushroom.

Even with these photos, it's best to err on the side of caution...if you find any mushrooms growing in your yard, pick them, bag them and throw them away. Woof!