Cocoa Bean Mulch As A Cause Of Methylxanthine Toxicosis In Dogs
by S. Hansen, H. Trammell, E. Dunayer, S. Gwaltney, D. Farbman, and S. Khan
Source: www.aspca.org
Background: Cocoa bean shells, a by-product of chocolate production, are sold as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners find cocoa mulch desirable because it degrades into an organic fertilizer and provides an attractive color and odor. Unprocessed beans, derived from the Theobroma cacao plant, contain 1-4% theobromine/0.07-0.36% caffeine whereas, cocoa bean mulch contains 0.19%-2.98% theobromine. Some dogs find the mulch attractive and eat small to large quantities.
- Cocoa bean shell products are increasingly used as mulch
- Natural cacao beans are derived from Theobroma cacao
- Unprocessed beans contain 1-4% theobromine and 0.07-0.36% caffeine
- Cocoa bean shell mulch may contain up to 0.19%-2.98% theobromineCocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production
- Cocoa bean shell mulch products have an attractive odor and smell
- Some dogs will eagerly eat large amounts of cocoa bean shell mulch
[b:14g2ngfw]Treatment of Clinical Signs Resulting from Methylxantine
Toxicosis in Dogs
Excellent post!! I actually used to use cocoa mulch in my front gardens when I lived in Calif, but my dogs were never out there. I remember reading an article online way back then, stressing it's dangers..No wonder, the stuff smells fantastic & it's also a great weed deterrent..
This is a very real concern; many pets have died from ingesting this product.
Hubby and I actually just got back from spreading this mulch on our front landscaping. The girls aren't allowed out there unsupervised (well, actually, they're not allowed out anywhere unsupervised), so there is no chance that they could ingest any of it. We purposely skipped putting this in the back because of the warnings, which are also printed on the bags.
The brand that we used is made by Hersheys! :lol: I do have to give them props for using their left over cocoa bean hulls to make mulch. It's a much less wasteful option than simply throwing it away, IMO!
It's amazing how this stuff really does smell like chocolate. It has given me the most horrible craving for a candy bar now! :lol:
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