SOME GOOD NEWS

ABOUT DEATH CAP MUSHROOMS??

<<<<<<<<<<<<< UPDATE Jan, 25, 2021 >>>>>>>>>>>>>

THERE IS AN EXPERIMENTAL TREATMENT

The adapted Santa Cruz Protocol for dogs has been published into "The Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care (JVECC)."  Here is the link to the journal article, "Clinical recovery of 5 dogs from amatoxin mushroom, mousing using and adapted Santa Cruz protocol for people" 

Please share this information and link with your veterinarians...especially if your dog is suspected and/or diagnosed with mushroom toxicity from a Death Cap Mushroom. (read below in the blog for more information describing the treatment.

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Yes, you read that correctly. With the rainy season upon us, we must remain ever vigilant looking out for DeathCaps, but this year we have a new tool in our arsenal to detect amatoxin! 

THE AMATOXtest

I've been helping a group of people who are bringing to market a quick and easy way to test for amatoxin, the poison in Death Cap Mushrooms. Quoting from their press release, "The AMATOXtest is revolutionary because it puts the ability to detect amatoxin directly into the hands of clinicians, veterinarians, mycologists, and anyone who is wondering whether the mushroom in their yard is deadly."

The AMATOXtest is similar to a pregnancy test and was developed by researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service. 

What is it so fantastic?  Because you can test a small bit of a mushroom or urine from a puppy or human that is suspected of mushroom toxicity and get a clear readout in a few minutes if there is any amatoxin present! Other tests need to be sent out to a laboratory and require a lengthy wait for the results to come back. And as we all know, time is of the essence when dealing with mushroom poisoning.

 

Here's the bottomline...

• If you have mushrooms growing in your yard now you can break of a small piece and test it to see if it contains amatoxin.
• If you suspect your dog ate a Death Cap you and/or your vet can test his urine and know within minutes if it contains amatoxin. This is huge!!

Check out the AMATOXtest website to learn more, read the journal reports and watch a video on how to do the test.

www.amatoxtest.com

Let's all help get the word out!

please tell your veterinarians about AMAToXtest

The faster we spread the word

The more dogs and people we can help

   

A SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF HOW A DEATH CAP KILLS

The amatoxin poison contained in the mushroom enters the body through the mouth and is rapidly absorbed by the stomach and small intestine. A specialized transporter called OATP1B3 located on the surface of liver cells and intended for the recycling of bile salts pulls amatoxin out of the blood and into the liver where the poison shuts down cellular protein synthesis, leading to cell death. Once in the liver, amatoxin is expelled into bile and concentrated in the gallbladder before being released back into the gut with the next meal. This recycled poison is once again absorbed by the intestine allowing the cycle to repeat. Circulating amatoxin is cleared by the kidneys and eliminated as long as urine output is maintained. If not, circulating amatoxin reaches the liver and continues to kill more cells. This cycle of repeated poisoning leads to acute liver failure and death within few days, even after a small ingestion. 

Treatment

S. Todd Mitchell MD came up with a brilliant idea, referred to as the Santa Cruz Protocol. Basically flushing the amatoxin out so it cannot continue re-poisoning the liver. He provides enhanced IV hydration to prevent kidney injury and allow circulating amatoxin to be eliminated in the urine. The patient is also given silibinin (an intravenous drug prepared from the common milk thistle) to bind the OATP1B3 transporter and prevent the liver from re-absorbing more of the poison. IV silibinin is readily available for human use in Europe but not in North America and nowhere for veterinary use.  
 
Mitchell collaborated with California veterinarians and successfully adapted the Santa Cruz Protocol to canine amatoxin mushroom poisonings, including the enhanced IV hydration and substituting biliary drainage for the IV silibinin. 

<<<<<<<<<<<<< UPDATE Jan, 25, 2021 >>>>>>>>>>>>>

The protocol has just been published into veterinary literature in January, 2021. It describes "the clinical course, treatment and outcome of five dogs following ingestion of Amanita spp. mushrooms containing amatoxins using an adapted version of the Santa Cruz protocol." All dogs survived.  

Here is the link to the study  "Clinical recovery of 5 dogs from amatoxin mushroom, mousing using and adapted Santa Cruz protocol for people" with detailed information. Please share this information and link with your veterinarians...especially if your dog is suspected and/or diagnosed with mushroom toxicity from a Death Cap Mushroom. 

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IF YOU SEE DEATH CAPS GROWING IN YOUR AREA

• Pick them, bag them, splash them with bleach, and throw them out. Don't let your dog see you digging them up, for it will only peak their interest.
• Go to "Death Cap Poster" in this blog's menu bar. Print out the poster and put them up where you've seen the mushrooms growing to warn others. Also take posters to your vets office and ask if they will post them at their front desk.
• Call your local news stations and newspapers and ask them to do a story warning the public about DeathCaps and Mushroom Poisoning.
• Contact info@amatoxtest.com to help get the word out about flushes of deadly mushrooms across the country. They hope to become a center for information about these deadly mushrooms. Your contributions will help keep us all and our pups safe.

  REMEMBER

If you suspect your dog or child has eaten a DeathCap Mushroom

the first 24 hours are critical...

it can be the difference between life and death.

  IT IS MY HOPE

THAT LITTLE DONATO, BRUTUS, OTTO , COSBY, BELLA & TRUFFLES,

AND LITTLE DIXIE

WILL CARRY THIS MESSAGE 

AROUND THE WORLD

AND KEEP ALL OF OUR PUPS AND DOGS SAFE