Cocoa Mulch – Is it toxic for dogs?

Over the past few weeks, the Online Dog Coach trainers have been receiving a lot of e-mail traffic warning of the dangers of cocoa mulch.   If you Google the topic, you will find a plethora of Internet articles that both confirm and deny the toxicity of cocoa mulch for dogs.   According to both the American Vetrinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, consumption of cocoa mulch can result in methylxanthine toxicosis but is unlikely to result in death.  Both organizations recommend that pet owners limit the use of cocoa mulch in landscaping that is exposed to unsupervised dogs. 

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center has a very informative article on cocoa mulch consumption by dogs, click here to learn more.

dogs, Health and Care