Mulch can tidy up a garden bed, prevent weeds and help retain moisture. But is it safe for your dog?
You may be thinking about mulching your garden paths or flower beds to tidy up the look and prevent weeds. Mulching is a great way to retain moisture during warm, dry days. But is mulch safe for your dog?
The overarching answer is no. Mulch can be made from many different materials, from cedar shavings to newspaper to rubber. One dog may eat it and be fine, but another might become seriously ill from the same type of mulch. It’s risky to allow a dog to eat mulch of any type, but certain mulches are even more problematic (and dangerous):
Mulch with large shreds or chunks of wood might attract dogs as much as that stick you throw for them. It smells good and feels good to chew. But the larger and sharper pieces of mulch can damage your dog’s throat and can cause bowel or stomach obstructions, leading to an emergency trip to the veterinarian.
Chocolate in the Garden
The earthy smell of mulch can be appealing to dogs — it can make them want to munch, and that could cause problems. Mulch made from cocoa bean shells smells delicious to humans and dogs, but it can contain toxic compounds (theobromine and caffeine) that could harm your dog. Thankfully, cases of mulch toxicity in dogs are rare, and the attractive smell starts to disappear after a few good rain showers.
Toxic Mold
Mulches of any type could contain pesticides or molds that could be toxic to your dog if eaten. Cocoa bean mulch is susceptible to mold, and other mulch types may contain molds such as penitrem A and roquefortine that could cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors or seizures. A more severe toxic reaction could even be fatal. Here, find out if it issafe for dogs to eat grass.
What to Do
Some dogs will eat anything, so no mulch is completely safe. It’s best to supervise your dog and prevent it from eating any amount of mulch, no matter the type. If you think your dog has eaten mulch, call the Animal Poison Control Center at 855-764-7661.
Pine, cedar, and cypress are probably the three of the most popular mulch options and they should all be dog-friendly. To be completely safe consider these additional concerns: Larger mulch may present a choking hazard – If your mulch is primarily large pieces and your dog tries to swallow one, they may choke.
Large pieces of mulch, or large volumes of ingested material, can also result in gastrointestinal obstruction, which may require surgery. Some types of mulch contain herbicides to prevent weed growth. While most are relatively benign, some are toxic and may result in gastrointestinal upset.
Pine bark, cedar bark, fir bark and cypress mulch are some of the best choices for dogs. Another good option is Coco Mulch, made of coconut husks (not to be confused with the dangerous cocoa bean mulch).
Pine, cedar, and hemlock mulches are good alternatives to cocoa bean mulch if you have pets. However, keep in mind that dogs can choke on mulch and must still be supervised. This is especially true with pine needle mulch, as the pine needles can actually puncture the stomach lining if ingested.
Vigoro mulch is typically safe for dogs, making it a tail-wagging choice for pet-friendly landscaping. With an array of colors, sizes, and textures, Vigoro mulch is not just versatile; it's easy to spread and manage, making our lives a bit easier. But ease of use doesn't mean we can let our guard down.
Your dog may turn to eating soil to try and boost their nutritional deficiencies. If your dog has diarrhoea or an upset stomach, they may eat soil to try and soothe their digestive system. Dogs also eat grass for the same reason, and in the process, they may end up eating some soil with it.
Finally, avoid large, bark type mulch or big wood chips. Since these big pieces take a long time to decompose, and they end up depriving the soil and plants of nutrients.
Lastly, you can drench cotton balls with ammonia and put them in and around the mulch area. Use ammonia sparingly, however, because it is a toxic chemical, which might injure a dog.
Chip or bark mulch is made from cypress or cedar trees and is very helpful for repelling bugs. Both cypress and cedar contain natural chemicals and oils like thujone that deter insects.
The presence of mulch in your yard might not mean you're going to get termites, but it does mean that you're increasing your risk. The best way to decrease the risk of termites in mulch is to maintain a long-term termite prevention and control with a pest management professional.
Furthermore, ingesting large quantities of mulch can lead to gastrointestinal blockages or obstructions, which can be fatal if left untreated. Therefore, acting swiftly if your dog has consumed mulch is imperative.
This dyed wood mulch does not break down to enrich the soil as good mulch should. Instead, it leaches the dye along with the possible contaminants (chromium, copper, arsenic, and others) into the soil harming or even killing beneficial soil bacteria, insects, earthworms, and sometimes the plants themselves.
The typical dyes used for colouring mulch are iron oxide-based and carbon-based. Iron oxide, used to produce red mulch, is commonly known as rust, and is used extensively in paints, cosmetics, and even used to dye flowers. Carbon, used to produce black mulch, is an element often used for ink or paint.
What if My Dog Has Been Eating Wood? Dogs that eat bark or wood have a risk of developing digestive issues. If you've noticed your dog has trouble eating or hasn't been going number two, there may be a blockage. If your dog hasn't improved in 2-3 days, take him/her to the vet.
Certain types of plant pathogens can be spread in some types of organic mulch. Depending on the type of pathogen and which plant parts will be used, you can apply the material as mulch around hosts after you chip or grind and properly handle it (e.g., by adequately heating or thoroughly composting).
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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