Cocoa Mulch Toxic to Dogs

One of our customers brought to our attention the fact that cocoa mulch can be toxic to dogs so I researched this a bit so I could share it with all of you. With spring coming, we in California use mulch to protect from the heat and dry days ahead and cocoa mulch is one of our choices. I have myself used cocoa mulch in the past because it smells wonderful to walk past/on/around, but like chocolate, it can be detrimental to our 4 legged friends. According to the ASPCA "Eaten by a 50-pound dog, about 2 ounces of cocoa bean mulch may cause gastrointestinal upset; about 4.5 ounces, increased heart rate; about 5.3 ounces, seizures; and over 9 ounces, death." For more on this story please visit Consumer Reports. And thanks to Patty Stabasefski for this important tip!

Mary Ann
BestFriendsStudios