Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: iggy21uk on 29 April 2010, 19:34:40

Title: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: iggy21uk on 29 April 2010, 19:34:40
Please share this with all the pet owners you know and ask them to do the same - the information you take a few minutes to share might prevent the senseless loss of other pets.
Read below

USA info
         
         
 
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 a Garden center  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. 


 :(
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Tony H on 29 April 2010, 20:03:19
That's terrible I wonder if it's available in this country :-/
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Jimbob on 29 April 2010, 20:10:56
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That's terrible I wonder if it's available in this country :-/


yup, seen it in garden centers, smells lovely  :y
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Tony H on 29 April 2010, 20:15:15
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That's terrible I wonder if it's available in this country :-/


yup, seen it in garden centers, smells lovely  :y


There should be rather big warning signs plastered all over the packaging >:(
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Martin_1962 on 29 April 2010, 20:28:43
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That's terrible I wonder if it's available in this country :-/


yup, seen it in garden centers, smells lovely  :y


What about in the UK? ;D ;D
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Lizzie_Zoom on 29 April 2010, 20:30:08
It certainly has a wonderful smell....................and now it has an added use for those who are fed up of dogs and cats going into their garden...................... :o :o :o :D :D  [smiley=evil.gif] [smiley=evil.gif] [smiley=evil.gif];)
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Richie London on 29 April 2010, 20:51:04
ideal for me then cause next doors cat keeps shiting on the landing and pi$$ing at the front door. 2 never leave the flat and the other one sits in the landings all day stinkin the place out. dirty smelly animals
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: waspy on 29 April 2010, 21:38:46
Toxic to cats :) I'm off to the garden centre to buy some :y Have to mix it with anti-freeze just to make sure :y

They'll be shitting some then ;D
Title: Re: Cocoa Mulch Deadly to Dogs & Cats
Post by: Banjax on 30 April 2010, 10:20:39
the wife always puts tons of it down - it looks great and smells fantastic - we used it, the dog never touched it and he loved chocolate - nabbed a full size cadburys easter egg one year  :( phoned the vet and he was cool about it as it was milk chocolate, not plain  :o :)