This is forwarded from a good Airedale friend - and unlike many product stories that I see or hear about, this one seems to be worth some further inspection and awareness, especially as summer is almost upon us and we dogs get curious about new stuff in the garden...
Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog, Calypso, decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died.
Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'
Information about the mulch can be found here - Snopes.com: Cocoa Mulch
Theobromine (in Cocoa Mulch) is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.
Feel free to pass this along to other gardening dog owners...
Love,
Bogart
To Aire is Divine
Over the weekend the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. They loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog, Calypso, decided that the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times which was typical when she eats something new but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day Mom woke up and took Calypso out for her morning walk. Half way through the walk, she had a seizure and died.
Although the mulch had NO warnings printed on the label, upon further investigation on the company's website, this product is HIGHLY toxic to dogs and cats. Cocoa Mulch is manufactured by Hershey's, and they claim that 'It is true that studies have shown that 50% of the dogs that eat Cocoa Mulch can suffer physical harm to a variety of degrees (depending on each individual dog). However, 98% of all dogs won't eat it.'
Information about the mulch can be found here - Snopes.com: Cocoa Mulch
Theobromine (in Cocoa Mulch) is in all chocolate, especially dark or baker's chocolate which is toxic to dogs. Cocoa bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophylline. A dog that ingested a lethal quantity of garden mulch made from cacao bean shells developed severe convulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.
Feel free to pass this along to other gardening dog owners...
Love,
Bogart
To Aire is Divine
3 comments:
Mom used to use cocoa mulch long before she got us! It really does smell like chocolate and good enough to eat! What a shame that Calypso had to die.
Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch
We heard about poor Calypso too Bogie. How awful.
Hugs
Noah xx
Oh my, I am so glad you posted that...That poor Calypso....that is so sad. We need to get the word out on that stuff....nasty!!!!
Deetz
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