ANIMAL CARE CENTER Dr. Steve Rehnblom, DVM
The Dangers of Cocoa Bean Mulch
Cocoa Bean Mulch is widely available in garden supply stores for use as mulch in home gardens; it is a popular type of mulch, partly because of the chocolate smell that it has. Apparently some manufacturers of this mulch even advertise it as a way to keep cats out of your garden. However, if your pet can’t resist the wonderful aroma and decides to eat it, it can prove to be fatal!
Cocoa Bean Mulch is a byproduct from the manufacture of cocoa powder and other chocolate products. All parts of the cocoa bean contain “theobromine”, a compound that has similar properties to caffeine and is toxic in high levels. It is this chemical that is the cause of chocolate poisoning, a problem that occurs mainly in pet dogs but occasionally in pet cats or other pet animals.
Cocoa bean shells may contain relatively high levels of theobromine, and some reports suggest that, for a medium-sized dog, consuming 9 oz. of mulch could be fatal. The symptoms of toxicity vary with the dose consumed; at lower doses, the pet will develop gastrointestinal signs such as vomiting or diarrhea, but if the pet eats a toxic dose the symptoms will progress through muscle tremors, restlessness or hyperactivity, elevated heart rate, seizures, and death. Symptoms may not develop immediately, but will begin to appear as the toxin is absorbed into the body. Once absorbed the toxin remains in an active form for up to 12 hours.
The aroma of cocoa bean mulch is most intense for the first few weeks after it has been spread on the ground, making fresh cocoa bean mulch more attractive to our pets, especially young puppies or kittens. As the smell dissipates, dogs do not seem to be as attracted to the product, lessening the risk. If you are both a pet owner and a gardener, you would be wise to consider a mulch that contains no cocoa bean shells for your landscaping projects. It is important for you to realize that there are generally no warnings about the potential toxicity to pets on the packaging of this mulch, as it is truly a buyer beware situation.
