The Vancouver Island health authority is warning the public about an outbreak of potentially fatal death cap mushrooms around Victoria.
Island Health issued the warning for the Greater Victoria area Monday, saying that Amanita phalloides, or "death cap" mushrooms, can cause severe illness if ingested, especially by children.
The warning comes just days after a 16-week-old puppy suspected to have eaten the deadly fungi died in Victoria.
The purebred chocolate lab was surrendered to the Central Victoria Veterinary Hospital on Wednesday afternoon after signs of illness began to show.
By Thursday morning, the dog was dead.
Anyone who suspects they may have consumed a death cap or other poisonous mushroom is asked to go to the nearest hospital, keep a sample of the mushroom for testing and call the BC Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911.
