Danger of Potpourri to Pets

Potpourri is a mixture of dried herbs, flowers, roots, seeds and spices. The mixture gives a natural, pleasant scent in your home. You can keep the ingredients of potpourri in a bowl in a room or in a sachet, or use them to make liquid potpourri. Both the dry ingredients and the liquid potpourri present dangers to cats and dogs.

  1. Dangers of Dry Potpourri

    • Dry potpourri is dangerous if it contains plants, spices or seeds that are toxic to pets. The ASPCA lists 446 toxic plants that have systemic effects on pets and may also irritate the digestive system. The list includes a few ingredients that are commonly used in potpourri such as angelica root, baby's breath flowers, carnation flowers, chamomile flowers, eucalyptus, gardenia flowers, geranium leaves and flowers, hyacinth, hydrangea, lemon peel, orange peel and yarrow.

    Dangers of Liquid Potpourri

    • When you add liquid potpourri in small amounts to water and heat it, it yields a pleasant fragrance. Keep the solution away from pets, because it contains cationic detergents and essential oils, which irritate the skin and digestive tract of pets. The potpourri may also contain ingredients that are toxic to cats and dogs. Liquid potpourri is toxic when ingested and may also be dangerous if it touches your pet's skin.

    Symptoms of Potpourri Ingestion

    • If your pet has ingested liquid potpourri, it may display symptoms such as burns on the skin and around the mouth, skin irritation, lack of appetite, vomiting, excessive drooling, slow pulse, pale gums, breathing problems or lethargy. If your pet ingested a plant that is toxic, it will display similar symptoms, but the dry ingredients don't cause burns.

    Treatment Options

    • The treatment depends on the type of exposure and the severity of the symptoms. If your pet only displays symptoms on its skin, bathe it in lukewarm water and remove the irritants from the skin. Should you notice burns, contact your veterinarian. If you notice your cat or dog ingested potpourri, induce vomiting and take your pet to an emergency veterinarian clinic. The veterinarian will perform a stomach lavage or administer activated charcoal to eliminate the toxic substances from the pet's system.

    Prevent Potpourri Exposure

    • Don't keep open potpourri bowls in your home or in the rooms your pets have access to. If you opt for dry potpourri, get sachets and place them in closets or areas that are not accessible to your cat or dog.

      To be safe, make sure that all the ingredients in the potpourri you buy are harmless for pets, such as marigold, jasmine or lavender. If you use liquid potpourri, keep the bottle in a locked cabinet and make sure the bottle is not leaking. When you use potpourri simmer pots, supervise your pet and don't allow it to approach the area, so it won't spill the liquid.