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A Warning for Pet Lovers- DEADLY MULCH!
Please tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.
Recently, 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 decided the mulch smelled good enough to eat and devoured a large helping. She vomited a few times, which was typical when she ate something new, but wasn't acting lethargic in any way. The next day, Mom woke up and took the dog 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 like 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 severeconvulsions and died 17 hours later. Analysis of the stomach contents and the ingested cacao bean shells revealed the presence of lethal amounts of theobromine.
The Dizzy Fund
The Dizzy Fund was started by Dr. MacQueen to help offset the cost of veterinary care for animals in need. It was named for a former (much missed) member of our hospital menagerie, Dizzy the cat. An orange cat rescued from Animal Control, Dizzy had Cerebellar Hypoplasia, a condition which caused his motor skills to be off. Dizzy became a mascot of sorts for Midway, and the fund serves as a reminder that each and every animal is special. Our hospital events and contests generally benefit The Dizzy Fund.
The video below shows a cat with Cerebellar Hypoplasia.