Seasonal
Autumn Hazards: Mushrooms, Acorns, Conkers and Compost
Wild mushrooms
Most are harmless; a few are lethal, and identification from a chewed sample is a specialist's job. Treat every wild mushroom snack as an emergency call — note where, photograph what's growing there, and don't wait for symptoms, which can lag while damage progresses.
Acorns and conkers
Acorns (oak) cause vomiting, diarrhea and in quantity kidney issues; conkers (horse chestnuts) add obstruction risk to toxicity. Dogs that hoover the ground do best on leash through oak and chestnut season — 'leave it' training pays for itself in October.
Compost and rotting leaves
Compost piles and moldy windfall fruit can carry tremorgenic mycotoxins — molds causing tremors and seizures fast. Fence the compost, rake fallen fruit, and treat sudden trembling after scavenging as an immediate emergency.
The season's small print
Rodenticide use rises as mice head indoors (secure it — pet exposure is life-threatening), antifreeze appears with the first frosts, and earlier dusk means reflective gear for walks. Autumn is lovely; walk it with slightly suspicious eyes.
If the day is coming
Ease The Paw coordinates in-home pet euthanasia across South Africa — we find and book the vet, arrange the cremation and handle the keepsakes, so you can simply be present. A flat R950 covers the coordination and your keepsake memorial; the vet and cremation are billed separately at their own rates.
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