Sadly, a Minnesota couple, Terry and Dawn Hall, found this
out the hard way, losing the life of their much beloved 3-yr
old Chocolate Labrador, Moose.
When Terry and Dawn Hall put cocoa bean mulch in their
Minneapolis flower gardens, they thought it would make
their back yard look beautiful, and prolong the lives of
their plants. Instead, the mulch took the life of their
3-year-old Chocolate Labrador, Moose.
"We never really thought of him as a dog, he was a
member of our family," said Terry Hall.
Moose was with Terry and his wife along the St. Croix
River last week, when he suddenly collapsed. Terry Hall
performed C.P.R. for 45 minutes, without success. I had to
do the unfortunate thing of walking to the rear of the boat
and telling Dawn that he didn't make it," he said.
Because the Halls had no idea what caused their dog's
death, that same day they took him to the University of
Minnesota, where a veterinarian performed a necropsy.
The vet found cocoa shells in Moose's stomach and
evidence of a chemical in the shells called
theobromine.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, theobromine can cause dogs to vomit,
seize, and even die.
According to the Halls, they were told the theobromine
caused Moose's heart to beat rapidly and ultimately
stop.
"We were really shocked. Floored," said Terry Hall. They
checked their cocoa mulch bag, and noticed only a small
warning: "Not meant for human or animal consumption."
The Halls said that doesn't come close to conveying how
dangerous this stuff is. "We just want to let consumers
know that this is a product that essentially could kill
your dog," according to Dawn Hall.
A young couple that planned on starting their family
with a dog is left with a void they don't know how to fill.
The Halls said they're trying to turn their grief into
something positive.
"I wouldn't want anyone in our area here, in Minneapolis
or Minnesota, or in the country to go through this. It's
gut wrenching, absolutely gut wrenching," said Terry
Hall.
There are brands of cocoa mulch that remove the
chemical, like "Cocoa Mulch" brand. However, the ASPCA
recommends "avoiding use of cocoa bean shell mulch in
landscaping around unsupervised dogs."(WCCO)
For more information;
There are so many things that can be
dangerous, poisonous or toxic to dogs and pets and for
their safety we really need to try to be alert as possible
to these dangers to them. The latest danger that I've come
across is cocoa bean mulch or actually the chemical
theobromine that is in some
cocoa bean mulches.
