ATTENTION: Dog owners

[DYEVOUT 0]

Yes, I "SNOPES'd" it.

WARNING!! Cocoa Mulch LETHAL to pets!!

Subject: Warning - Cocoa mulch

Date: Wed, 14 May 2003 23:00:04 EDT

I am sending this to everyone I know who has dogs or cats. I received this email from my veterinarian. It was discussed on the Academy of Veterinary Homeopathy board.

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot, Foreman's Garden Supply and other Garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called "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 already occurred in the last 2-3 weeks. 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 theophylline.

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.

----------------=8^)----------------------
"I think that was the wrong tennis court."

[Guest]

Interesting. What did Snopes say?

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[Cajun 0]

http://hoaxinfo.com/chocolate.htm

would seem that this one is true.

[whocares 0]

Thanks,

Now i know how to get rid of the neighbors dog. HAHA

Thanks

[Guest]

Quote

Thanks,

Now i know how to get rid of the neighbors dog. HAHA

Thanks

HAHAHA

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[SpeedRacer 1]

yep I also remember reading somewhere that caffeine is very dangerous to dogs and cats.

Speed Racer
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[skycat 0]

Well hopefully all dog owners know that chocolate can can kill them. Along with many common house plants including, pointsettias (sp)...you know those plants you get for X-mas.

Fly it like you stole it!

[CrazyIvan 0]

Mmmmm...I have a BIG bag of Hersheys here...mmmmm...psst, pssst, here here doggie, here here nice kitty

__________________________________________
Blue Skies and May the Force be with you.

[SpeedRacer 1]

Also, porn is very dangerous to kittens.

Speed Racer
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[Cornholio 0]

Quote

yep I also remember reading somewhere that caffeine is very dangerous to dogs and cats.

Both Caffeine and Theobromine are in Chocolate. Most people are unaware, but Cholate DOES contain traces of caffeine. I have had this talk with my dad numerous times cause he feeds his Cocker bits of chocolate and other goodies. I was totally against giving my dog any chocolate until I did a little research. A little chocolate will not hurt the dog. A little meaning a pinch of a candy bar or cookie. The real killer is in the bakers chocolate. If a dog gets ahold of a bar of this stuff, you better be prepared to take fido to the Vet ER ASAP.

Quote

Chocolate contains theobromine (a compound similar to caffeine) which is poisonous to dogs. A dose of 50 mg/lb can be fatal to a dog. Milk chocolate contains 45 mg of theobromine per ounce and unsweetened baking chocolate contains 400 mg per ounce. Just one ounce of unsweetened baking chocolate can kill a small breed dog. Theobromine when ingested by dogs causes release of epinephrine (adrenaline) which causes the heart to race and serious cardiac arrhythmias to develop. Signs of chocolate poisoning in dogs include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, hyperactivity followed by depression and coma, seizures, and death.

Quote

The truth is chocolate contains theobromine that is toxic to dogs in sufficient quantities. This is a xanthine compound in the same family of caffeine, and theophylline.

Toxic Levels

The good news is that it takes, on average, a fairly large amount of theobromine 100-150 mg/kg to cause a toxic reaction. Although there are variables to consider like the individual sensitivity, animal size and chocolate concentration.

On average,
Milk chocolate contains 44 mg of theobromine per oz.
Semisweet chocolate contains 150mg/oz.
Baker's chocolate 390mg/oz.

Using a dose of 100 mg/kg as the toxic dose it comes out roughly as:
1 ounce per 1 pound of body weight for Milk chocolate
1 ounce per 3 pounds of body weight for Semisweet chocolate
1 ounce per 9 pounds of body weight for Baker's chocolate.

So, for example, 2 oz. of Baker's chocolate can cause great risk to an 15 lb. dog. Yet, 2 oz. of Milk chocolate usually will only cause digestive problems.

Here's a good site that lists the amount of both of those ingredients in different kinds of chocolate : http://www.chocolateinfo.com/cf/cf_article_02.jsp

Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast!
Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool!
bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump

[Guest]

I remember a dessert at one of those franchise places like TGI Fridays called "Death By Chocolate".

"...your dog will never eat anything else..."

"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."