Fwd: Warning: Cocoa Mulch is lethal to dogs. No anecdote is known, and death results in 12-24 hours.

[Guest guest]

> " Ed Johnson, J.D., Attorney " <edjohnson

> " Ed Johnson, J.D., Attorney " <edjohnson

>Warning: Cocoa Mulch is lethal to dogs.

>No anecdote is known, and death results in 12-24 hours.

>Fri, 9 Apr 2010 15:01:31 -0500

>thread-index: AcrX9b2E8LwsFGVkSJim7nsJZPyuWQACdviw

>

>I received this information today… Please

>tell every dog or cat owner you know. Even if

>you don't have a pet, please pass this to those who do.

>

>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.

>

>For example, the doting owner of two young lab

>mixes purchased Cocoa Mulch 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.”

>

>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.

>

>Ed

>

>Here’s my own analysis: I read the

>www.snopes.com “analysis,” of this internet

>report, and found that it all too carelessly

>“pooh-pooh” the lethal dangers of Cocoa Mulch,

>however, my take is that “if Cocoa Mulch is so

>extremely lethal to dogs, they why buy or use

>Cocoa Mulch at all?... Use another form of

>mulch!!” The assertion that “most dogs won’t eat

>it” will be of no comfort if your pet dies after

>eating it. True?

>

>I have found that Snopes generally sides with

>the commercial and manufacturer’s side of any

>business or health related issue, (e.g. they

>“pooh pooh” the well known danger of aspartame

>(aka “NutraSweet” & “Equal”), known to be deadly

>neurotoxin that causes brain tumors and many

>other maladies) and is always on the “flaming

>liberal” side of any political issue. e.g.

>Snopes always favors the liberal side of any

>political, economic, or healthcare issue. It is

>a website owned and operated by a husband & wife

>who simply gather information from the internet.

>

>I suggest that you read the entire Snopes

>Article on this and decide whether you wish to

>risk the life of your pets. Click on the

>following link:

><http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp>ttp://www.snopes.com/cr\

itters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp.

>Ed Johnson

>

>

>See Below the Article as received…

>Jasmin

>Friday, April 09, 2010 10:03 AM

>Jasmin

>Fw: Dog and Cat owners warning

>

>

>This Warming is serious. Please read. This is

>confirmed on Snopes. Please read below the picture.

>*Snopes site gives the following information:

><http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp>http://www.snopes.com/c\

ritters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

>*

>

>

>graphic

>

>|

>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

>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 (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>http://www.snopes.com/cr\

itters/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 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.

>

> **PLEASE PASS THIS ON**

>

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