Warning to Dog Owners~

Our local county extension director sent us this warning that needs to be widely distributed. Please share this important information with all the dog owners you know.

Recently a dog owner purchased a bag of cocoa mulch and left it sitting outside. Her dog tore into the bag because of its appealing scent and ingested some of the mulch. The next day the dog had a seizure and died. If you have an outside dog, please read the following.

True information about the mulch can be found here -
http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoa.htm This site gives the following information:

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply, Target and
other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called “Theobromine”, which is found in chocolate.

It is lethal to dogs and cats. It smells like chocolate and it really attracts dogs. They may ingest this stuff and die. Several deaths already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. A word of caution is in order. Check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens and nearby parks.

Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate, especially dark or baker’s chocolate. (Chocolate should never be fed 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.

Hopefully this warning will prevent others from losing their family pet.

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