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CHOCOLATE AND OUR PETS
Webmaster's Note: I personally have not heard of this mulch but am passing this information on to our loyal supporters. This goes to show you that you can never be too safe with either your Children or your Pets.
Feline Refuge Webmaster
PET HEALTH ALERT: THE SCOOP ON COCOA HULL MULCH
Many pet lovers are aware that chocolate can be potentially dangerous to pets--but what about the popular lawn and garden mulch that contains cocoa bean hulls?ASPCA News Alert has received numerous inquiries from dog lovers concerning the safety of this product, so we went straight to the horse's mouth--in this case, the veterinarians at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC)--to find out more.
As APCC Dr. Jill A. Richardson explains, cocoa mulch contains theobromine and caffeine, the same toxic ingredients found in chocolate. Some dogs may be attracted to the smell of the hulls, and although cats are generally too finicky to eat it willingly, felines may be exposed should they walk through the mulch and subsequently ingest it when grooming. "Remember, the dose makes the poison," says Richardson, "and if an animal ate enough, they could have effects similar to those seen with chocolate."
These symptoms include an increase in heart rate, tremors or, as in the recent case of a bichon frise, hyperactivity. The bichon's owner had applied cocoa mulch heavily around some bushy plants, and the dog reportedly ate quite a bit of it. The owner noticed that the dog was moderately hyperactive, but called the APCC only after the symptoms had subsided. If you suspect that your pet has eaten cocoa hull mulch, it's best to be on the safe side and call your veterinarian or the APCC's emergency hotline at 1-888-4-ANI-HELP for round-the-clock telephone assistance.For more information on poison prevention, visit http://www.apcc.aspca.org.
