Article submitted by:   Sharon Overfelt, DVM
"Within the heart of every stray Lies the singular desire to be loved"
                                                                                                 anonymous   

SPRINGTIME IS HERE !!
(AND SO ARE THE HAZARDS TO OUR PETS!)

As we welcome the sunshine, warm weather and opportunities to spend more quality time outdoors with our pets we need to be sure to remain aware of the potential pitfalls out there that our curious little (or big) friends may unknowingly fall victim to.

It is very likely that many of you have received an e-mail of one sort or another by now warning you of the dangers of using Cocoa Mulch in your garden areas due to the toxicity of the product to dogs and cats.  I have read stories ranging from a single small ingestion leading to a lethal seizure minutes later to animals eating huge amounts, vomiting and dying days later.

The only actual confirmed case of deadly poisoning from ingestion of cocoa mulch that I have found was diagnosed by a veterinarian who performed the necropsy on a young Labrador retriever, at the request of his owners who had observed him eating some of the mulch.  The doctor drew his conclusion from the fact that cacao shell fragments were found in the dog’s stomach and contained chemical evidence of theobromine within them.

Cocoa mulch, which is made from the outer covering of the cocoa bean (the seed of Theobroma cacao) from which chocolate is manufactured naturally contains the methylxanthines caffeine and theobromine, both of which are stimulants toxic to dogs.  The degree of toxicity of course depends upon the amount of the chemical ingested versus the weight of the dog.

The following enlightening statements have been published by the ASPCA:
“In dogs, low doses of methylxanthine can cause mild gastrointestinal upset (vomiting, diarrhea and/or abdominal pain); higher doses can cause elevated heart rate, muscle tremors, seizures and death.

Eaten by a 50 lb. dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death. (In contrast: A 50 lb. dog can eat up to about 7.5 ounces of milk chocolate without gastrointestinal upset and up to about a pound of milk chocolate without increased heart rate.)”

More informative Tables of information are available on the ASPCA website and may well be worth taking a look at.  But let none of us EVER forget that particularly puppies are very curious little creatures that love to put things into their mouths!  It is our responsibility to watch over and protect them from the dangers they are bound to get themselves into.

In the unhappy event that you do suspect poisoning of your pet, transport the patient to your veterinarian as soon as possible as this may be of benefit in treatment outcome.  Keep the pet warm and avoid any other stress.  Also, transport uncontaminated vomitus and/or suspected toxic materials in clean plastic or glass containers to the veterinary hospital with you.

One final word on mulch…there are other choices that we can make.  Naturally they all have their pros and cons.  There is Pine Straw which is growing in popularity in TN. I can testify though as a former resident of NC where it is used predominantly, that it carries the tree sap which is sticky and it stains.  There is cedar which is attractive and fragrant, but it draws ticks.  Other choices include bark nuggets, colored stone, etc.  And of course there is a company which now produces the “Cocoa Mulch” brand which it proclaims to be theobromine free and pet safe.

The choice is yours.  But as a responsible pet owner it is your duty to review your options, read product labels and in the end do what is best for both you and your faithful friends.

Please save this for the next time you hear someone say: 

They have to get rid of their pet when they have a child.