Cocoa Mulch kills dogs & cats if eaten!!!!!

[papbouv]

Warning about mulch, found on another site

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Please tell everyone you know about this. Here is the snopes site
address on this matter:
snopes.com: Cocoa Mulch and Dogs

Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those that do.

Story from someone else...

Yesterday one of our dog agility friends experienced a tragedy and
wanted me to pass a special message along to all of my dog loving
friends and family.

Please tell every dog owner you know.
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
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:

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. Just a word of
caution, check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what
your gardeners are using in your gardens.

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.

[Barb]

if it truly smells like cocoa - I can sure see the enticement....  I have never heard of it???

Thx for the warning !

[cheryl186]

Thank you Papbouv for posting this.  I have never heard of this either.....but I surely know now that I never will buy it for my yard :thumb:

[April]

Theobromine is the reason chocolate is toxic to dogs.  So it is wise to avoid anything with that ingredient.