Originally Posted by DoubleTrouble

Below I hasve posted a sad story as to why is it important to try and keep this thread at the top over the Christmas period. Sorry to keep repeating myself but if it saves just one animal then is it worth is.

PLEASE READ THE FIRST POST ON THIS THREAD

It COULD be YOUR pets life that is saved so please everyone - bump bump bump.................

Crossposted............


We have suffered a terrible, terrible tragedy last Wed. Two, beloved
Cavaliers of mine, Haley and Zoe both ate potpourri from a decorative basket
in my Living room. Within hours, they were vomiting it, convulsing and going
into total body rigidity and shock. We took them to the after hours clinic,
they had no idea what it could be and wouldn't listen to me about them
vomiting potpourri at home and how I had such concerns about the toxic
effects of it. They treated symptoms.

We transferred them to our day vet. He also wouldn't listen to me about the
potpourri theory. He said they had "strychnine" poisoning symptoms. I
kept telling him that the potpourri was Made In India, sold by a company in
California and sold at my local WalMart. My heart told me that it was the
culprit of their condition.

They declined rapidly throughout the day and we transferred them back to the
after hours clinic for a second night. At midnight, I made the agonizing
decision to put them to sleep. Haley was in constant seizures that wouldn't
stop, fluid was filling up in her lungs, body temp was dropping on both of
them, Zoe was lying almost lifeless on the table, struggling with every
breath she took. Every muscle was completely rigid, you couldn't even move
her.

I have devoted the last couple of days (now that I can get out of bed and
function) to researching my concerns with the potpourri and have since found
out I was right....... .....there is a lab in England that has case studies
on toxic potpourri from India!! The toxin....strychnine , which in it's
commercial source, comes from a certain tree grown in India . I am
completely heart broken over this.

Please be aware of the potential toxins in any and all stuff like this in
our
homes. I would've never guessed this could happen but when I saw them both
"playing" in the potpourri a
nd then after about two hours saw the symptoms
of a poisoning, I just put two and two together. Hug your babies, Love them
and always take lots of photos along the way...it helps later on, trust me.

Karen Cantner, Heartland Kennels, Evansville , Indiana USA

Permission to cross post - should be unedited and sent in it's entirety
with her contact info.