Potpourri can be bought here in many places. I didn't know it can be very dangerous as well. See the mail below (with permission to crosspost):

In a message dated 12/10/2008 6:25:17 P.M. Central Standard Time, Karencantner writes:

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 and 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

Thanks for that.

Who'd have thought!

So, the vet was, in fact, correct, in that it was strychnine poisoning?

Just one more reason why you shouldn't allow your pets eat or chew anything that isn't pet food or dog bones.