As soon as the weather breaks again many homeowners and gardeners are sure to be outside getting their hands dirty.
But veterinarians say a sweet-smelling mulch can be deadly to certain family pets.
"Cocoa mulch is a risk, especially to dogs,” said Dr. Larry Family of Aqueduct Animal Hospital.
Found in most home garden centers, cocoa mulch is known for its fine texture and the sweet smell the fresh mulch gives off.
“The weird thing is, it
smells like a chocolate Pop Tart. That's the best way I can describe
it. It really does have a chocolate scent to it,” explained Shane
Compton of Hewitt's Garden Center.
But getting past the
scent, Family says cocoa mulch can be dangerous if a dog starts eating
it. It contains two key ingredients found in chocolate: theobromine and
caffeine. Similar to eating chocolate, he says a dog that eats just a
few ounces of cocoa mulch could starting having stomach problems and it
could get worse if it eats more.
"As time goes on they might act restless, excited, it can produce tremors and seriously seizures,” Family explained.
Compton says cocoa mulch
is not that popular at his store, but says it has its regular customers
who every now and then wonder about the rumors they hear and the effect
it has on man's best friend.
“There's always stories
on the Internet, but in the 30 years we've been here we've actually
never heard of any body's dog getting sick,” Compton said.
Family adds that while
pet owners might not know it, the information out there on cocoa mulch
is much more than just an urban legend or Internet myth if a dog gets
its paws on it.
“Puppies are very curious
animals. So they've going to be attracted to various things around the
yard and it seems to be more severe in the small breeds and it depends
on the amount they actually ingest,” Family said.
If you have a dog and a yard Family says the best bet is to just stay away from cocoa mulch.
If you're still looking
for a sweet-smelling mulch without the potentially hazardous effects
Compton recommends any type of cedar product.April 24
By MATT McFARLAND
http://web.archive.org/web/20060507105535/http://www.wnyt.com/x7886.xml?ag=x995&sb=x183
