Daniel Okafor

I've seen what a death cap does to a 70-pound lab. I'd rather people read my article and panic a little than not read it and lose their dog. I work at an emergency animal hospital in Portland, and every fall we see a spike in mushroom poisoning cases: dogs that ate something in the yard or on a walk, owners who have no idea what species it was, and a clock that's already ticking.

I have a BSc in Animal Science from Oregon State and I'm a Certified Veterinary Technician. I got interested in mushroom identification specifically to help pet owners. I created an internal reference guide for our clinic that matched common Pacific Northwest mushrooms to their toxicity profiles and clinical signs. That guide became the basis for my articles here. I also volunteer with Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital's community outreach, teaching pet owners what to watch for.