# desperate dog dad



## diabjo (Mar 8, 2016)

Sorry for long note but I’m desperate. 5 days ago my 2 yr old female got in to something at grandma’s. Grandma was unable to determine what it was but she has some suspicious it was scented potpourri. Dog vomited 7x and I rushed it to ER vet. X-rays were normal and she was diagnosed with gastritis, no foreign bodies found. No blood or urinalysis was done but I didn’t think to ask — not in the right frame of mind. Next morning she is ataxic — dizzy, unable to do stairs, falling down, etc. We go to our regular vet and she does blood work. The results are normal, and the vet recommends visiting a neurologist. We go back to the ER to see neurologist and they start IV treatment and a steroid. Neurologist recommends a spinal tap but the results took 2 days to get back. In the meanwhile, her condition modestly improves but still severely lethargy, no interest in food, and you could tell she was in twilight state / very low consciousness. Spinal tap results came back normal. More x-rays and an ultrasound of her stomach were also normal. A urinalysis they did on day 4 showed slightly elevated white blood cells and they started her on an antibiotic. Her ataxia has improved but she is not fully coordinated and she remains uninterested in food and very lethargic. She has lost 10%+ of her body weight and I am very concerned the docs are missing something. Thoughts? Reactions?


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Just did a quick looked up for ingredients in potpourri. So below is not in depth, or highly researched.
The liquid potpourri has cationic ingredients that can cause burns when eaten in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.
There is also a few reports on some of the potpourri from India using berries from the strychnine tree. May want to see if grandma still has the bag, and/or oil from the potpourri.

With your pups symptoms, I would have them checking for strychnine poisoning. 
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/toxicity/c_dg_strychnine_poisoning


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

Oh, how awful...

Strychnine is one of the things they routinely test for in situations like this, and the results of strychnine poisoning immediately show up on a CBC. The problem now is that if she ingested some weird thing in the potpourri (or elsewhere), the vet would need to test for that specific toxin. If it is potpourri, and say, there was some metabolite that mimics the effects of LSD, they'd need to test for that metabolite. However, she could be feeling the effects of that. 

I'd recommend you take a sample of the potpourri to the vet and see if they can analyze it..or send it out. Knowing more precisely what the toxin is might aide treatment and surely will reassure you.


I think the good news here is that although she's obviously feeling the effects of some toxin, it's not fatal. If it was strychnine or other known household toxin (like Xylitol in toothpaste), she'd be gone by now.


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Poor baby, I will be praying for her full recovery.


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## redbirddog (Apr 23, 2010)

Some of the symptoms are what we have been going through with Bailey. Of course I see everything through the lens of Valley Fever right now and the inability of vets to diagnose this illness outside of Arizona. The attached map. Does Grandma live in any of the shaded areas or have you visited these areas?

If not then I don't have a clue, but wish you the best outcome for your girl. Having sick dogs SUCKS!

Prayers sent your way.
Rod


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## tknafox2 (Apr 2, 2013)

Hello Diabjo... How is your girl doing??? 
I keep thinking about the potpourri that is sitting around my house, and the crazy stuff it is made of... well it is all gone now.
I never even thought about that stuff being so poisonous!! When I think of the many times our pups would root through the jar, and come our
with one pod or another.
I do pray you girl can fight this off, with no residual effects. 
Please keep us informed. I'll be praying for her, and sending positive healing energy..


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## cuddlebuglove (Apr 27, 2014)

I will be doing the same. Please let us know what is happening so that we can support you.


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