Author Topic: Warning to pet owners (Read 3008 times)

jameslindsay · « **on:** May 17, 2010, 11:33:28 am »

Just received this e mail.

This could be deadly to your or your friends' pets:

Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.
Over the weekend, the doting owner of two young lab mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch from Target to use in their garden. The dogs loved the way it smelled and it was advertised to keep cats away from their garden. Their dog (Calypso) decided 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 web site,
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."
*Snopes site gives the following information:http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp*
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 li ke 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.

Sandy · « **Reply #1 on:** May 17, 2010, 11:53:45 am »

Our pups and Ben eat all sorts of stuff, we never buy mulch as we have mainly gravel but thanks for the warning, what a shock, they should remove it from the shops or at least put a huge warning as any dog could visit where it's been put or dumped!!!!

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** May 17, 2010, 12:51:15 pm »

Fortunately my dogs are not ascavengers and are not usually in other people's gardens but it worries me so i have emailed the company selling it to clarify the matter. It will be interesting to see if they respond!

JulieS · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2010, 01:16:46 pm »

How awful for the owners. Many thanks for the warning James.

sheila · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2010, 03:16:27 pm »

I once sat next to Mr Hershey ( The top man whose name I forget) at a birthday party. I'm afraid I rather disgraced myself by argueing with him about his chocolate and the harm it did to the world.
He was so furious that he didn't enjoy his dinner at all. Serves him right if he is responsible for this latest thing.

little blue · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2010, 08:24:16 pm »

thanks for the warning...
after all, whats smells more appealling to dogs than cocoa?!

little blue · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2010, 08:28:23 pm »

ps, passed it on to some german sheperd owners...

Jackie 2 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 17, 2010, 08:32:58 pm »

Thank you for this warning James.

I don't use compost such as this but others may so you can sleep with a halo over your head tonight for doing a good thing.