A Must Read!
 

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 instantly.

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.'

This Snopes site gives the following information:snopes.com: Cocoa Mulch Danger to Dogs

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called ' Theobromine'. It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They will ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. Theobromine 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.

That is so sad. I have heard about this mulch on tv and no, they did not warn about it being bad for dogs.

I will def make sure I avoid this when I buy my mulch this year.

Awww so sad

Thi shouldn't be out at all...It's dangerous to animals How can you keeps cats out of it and some dogs lives outside They need to banned it

Yes, I also heard it was bad for dogs...

So sad, my heart goes out to their family
 

Thing is when I moved into my condo my neighbor told me all about it.She uses it to keep neighborhood pets from peeing in her garden but is well aware that it could kill them.This was before I got my dogs(I didn't agree then)but she still uses it:eek: now seeing I have dogs.I stay busy in the summer keeping them away from her garden.

This is not right but some home owners have resortd to this method because some pet owners have no care for the time and work that people put into their garden and don't appreciate irresponsible owners letting their pet trample and pee on their work.(like I said its wrong and I would never do that,but I have been angry because a neighbor let their dog pee on my flowers and them it attracts all the animals in the area passing to mark.Its a mess.


However if a owner knows this mulch is toxic and still uses it in an area where animals fequently pass I think they should be held legally responsible.Although frustrating it is not illegal for a dog to pee your grass.

Thank you for posting about this. I've never heard of it, but I'll definitely watch out for my dogs eating mulch now.

Thank you for the info!

I would like to see this info added to the "List of DANGEROUS FOODS for Dogs" thread in the Health and Diet section. Or it could be posted in the "Important Links for Pet Poisoning & Dangerous Foods - Poison Control Hotline" in the Sick/injured section.

This is good info that some would never get once this thread is burried among the many others here on YT.

ADMIN: Can the OP be copied and pasted to one of the appropriate sticky threads? I, for one, would really appreciate it :)