Dog owner distraught after tracking down unexpected cause of pet's mysterious illness: 'I called the Department of Agriculture'

One dog owner recently turned to the r/goldenretrievers subreddit for advice after figuring out that their pooch had given them both a rare infection by chewing on pieces of red mulch he'd found in the yard.

"Today I discovered the culprit, [Abbott] is picking up pieces of red mulch and chewing it. I called the Department of Agriculture for the state I live in and was advised that there is no doubt that's where the bug lives," the poster wrote. "Question [is] how do I stop this?"

The infection, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, "can be serious and potentially deadly if you have a weakened immune system," according to the Cleveland Clinic. For Abbott the golden retriever and his owner, it resulted in intense symptoms and emergency room visits for each of them. 

Red mulch is made of recycled wood waste colored with dyes. The benefit of it is mainly aesthetic — it is brightly colored and contrasts with green plants. However, many gardening experts recommend staying away from it not so much because of the dyes, but because of the chemicals that have been used to treat the wood itself.

"Unfortunately, some of the recycled waste wood used for making landscape mulch products is contaminated with various chemicals, such as creosote and CCA (chromated copper arsenate)," says an article on the University of Florida website. "Additionally, dyed mulches break down much slower than natural mulches."

As far as the question of what to do about the mulch, the golden retriever owner wrote that it is impossible to remove as it is all over the yard. However, the other members of the subreddit came up with a potential solution that happily does not involve the use of any more toxic chemicals: spraying it all over with vinegar.

"A potential temporary solution is to buy a few gallons of Vinegar to spray or pour over the mulch. The smell should (hopefully) be enough of a deterrent to keep your sweet dog away from it," wrote one commenter.

The same commenter had another suggestion as well: "Since he's a dog that wants to chew wood, I think providing him a safe alternative would really help. Obviously, chewing is a natural instinct, but it is also entertainment, sensory satisfaction and can be a positive stress reliever … Our pet supply store recommended 'Gorilla Wood' — They are kind of expensive, BUT are big and last a long time!"

"Thanks [for] your comment," the original poster followed up. "As we speak I am ordering from Home Depot a sprayer and from the market vinegar."

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