Spring Gardening and Vizslas

NOTICE FOR SPRING GARDENING

We ran this warning before, but it still bears repeating, as this is the time of the year most gardeners are preparing their yards for the spring planting season.

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman’s Garden Supply, and other garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient call “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 have already occurred in the past few months.

Just a word of caution – check what you are using in your gardens and be aware of what your gardeners are using in your gardens.

Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate – especially dark or baker’s chocolate – which is toxic to dogs.  Cacao bean shells contain potentially toxic quantities of theobromine, a xanthine compound similar in effects to caffeine and theophyline.

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.

Stay alert to chemicals that can be deadly to your pets.

(from ADOIA Oct., Nov., Dec. 2003 newsletter)