Plant
Cocoa Bean Shell Mulch
Contact a vet the same day if a dog has eaten cocoa mulch, especially a small dog or a large quantity.
ModerateDogs
What to do right now
- 1.Remove the dog from the mulched area and stop further access
- 2.Note roughly how much may have been eaten
- 3.Phone your veterinary practice for advice, as with any chocolate-related exposure
Symptoms
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
- Restlessness and agitation
- Rapid heart rate
- Tremors
- Seizures in large ingestions
Details
- Category
- Plant
- Toxicity
- Moderate
- Species affected
- Dogs
- Routes of exposure
- Eating garden mulch made from cocoa bean shells, which smells appealing to many dogs
- Urgency
- Contact a vet the same day if a dog has eaten cocoa mulch, especially a small dog or a large quantity.
Veterinary treatment
Cocoa mulch contains residual theobromine and caffeine, the same toxic compounds found in chocolate. Consider a cocoa-free alternative mulch in gardens used by dogs.