Help! My dog ate a weird mushroom in the backyard and now has a strange spot on his belly

Hey everyone, I'm freaking out a bit. My 3-year-old golden retriever, Buddy, was playing in the backyard this morning and I saw him munching on something. When I got closer, it looked like a weird mushroom growing near our fence. I pulled him away but he'd already eaten part of it. Now I just noticed he has this reddish spot on his belly that wasn't there yesterday. Should I take him to the emergency vet?? He seems fine otherwise - still eating and playing normally. But I'm worried about the mushroom and the spot. Any advice?

OP, I'm not a vet (just a devoted dog mom who's been through this before!), but YES take him to the vet ASAP! Mushrooms can be super dangerous and some are toxic even in small amounts. The spot could be unrelated or it could be a reaction. My lab once ate a mushroom and we rushed him in - turned out it was harmless, but better safe than sorry. Call your vet or emergency clinic now and describe the mushroom if you can. Take a photo of the spot too. Keep us updated!

Seconding VetVicky! My terrier ate a weird fungus last fall and I waited 'til morning... big mistake. $2,000 emergency bill later. The spot is concerning too - could be nothing, could be a rash from something else, but with the mushroom combo I wouldn't risk it. Also not a vet, just speaking from expensive experience. Hope Buddy's okay!

As a reptile guy, I know toxins work differently across species, but mushrooms are no joke. My bearded dragon got into some wild fungus once and we had to do a whole detox protocol. For dogs, their metabolism is faster so toxins can hit quicker. That spot might be the first sign of something systemic. Definitely vet time. Maybe bring a sample of the mushroom if there's any left?