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Location: Eden Valley,Cumbria
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 3,158
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06-05-2005, 05:13 PM
Stargazer Lillies
Hi AllI know some of you have cats. This is a story that appeared in the Daily Mirror today - Thanks to Ann on the pets board who typed it out. She asked that it be cross posted. It is rather worrying as I have 6 cats and often have these lillies in the house, I also grow them in the garden
HELPLESS John Hartnett watched his cat die in agony after she brushed against flowers he bought his wife.
John, 51, did not know the oriental stargazer lilies were poisonous to pets.
He is calling on producers and retailers to issue warnings of the danger. The RSPCA has launched an emergency campaign.
Mr Hartnett's cat, Catalina, aged 13, brushed against a vase of the blooming white and pink lilies, getting pollen on her coat.
Advertisement Minutes after she licked herself clean the Siamese was violently ill. She died a few hours later after suffering blindness, liver failure, sickness and dehydration.
John, from Folkestone, Kent, said: "Catalina endured a vile death. She was suffering terribly. I blame myself but the vet we rushed her to said there was just no chance to save her."
John and Spanish wife Patricia Walger-Amuchastegui want warnings on all lilies sold in Britain. He said: "We've seen the flowers in many places, all with no warnings at all.
"I've seen on the internet that there's immense coverage in America warning people of the dangers - but here there's nothing.
"There needs to be a national awareness campaign. I can't believe something so simple as a flower can kill pets in such a terrible, terrible way - and there's no way of knowing about it.
"Cat owners should be warned of these lethal dangers."
RSPCA spokeswoman Kate Geary, said an emergency campaign would be launched. She said: "The problem of lilies isn't widely known and we're seeing an increase in cases because the flowers are becoming more readily available in Britain.
"We will be urging manufacturers and producers to issue warnings on their goods so consumers have an informed choice.
"We also hope to work with the Royal College for Veterinary Surgeons' poison department to produce information factsheets."
Alex Campbell, a toxicologist with the Poison Advisory Service for vets, said lily poisoning was "one of the worst" pets could face.
He added: "All parts of a lily are extremely toxic, especially to a cat's kidney. Less than one leaf eaten by a cat can lead to death. The fatality rate is high.
"A cat that comes into contact with a lily deteriorates very rapidly. I have even heard of a cat being given human dialysis in an attempt to overcome the effects of toxins in the kidneys."
Survival chances decrease rapidly if a cat is not taken to a vet within six hours.
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,952
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06-05-2005, 09:40 PM
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