This story was originally forwarded to the volunteer who does the CCAR website postings. Especially now, during the holiday season, it is important to read and share this information with all pet owners. Original edited to due length.
Many people enjoy the scent of either essence oils or scented candles burning. Another popular option that has gained widespread use are the reed diffusers. And many will be given as gifts.
“Some might find the image below a bit disturbing, but word needs to get out there. “Dewey” is our office cat at (another rescue). He knocked over a cinnamon reed diffuser (you know, those things with liquid and sticks in them to make the room smell good). He was washed up quickly, and we thought he was OK. Turns out he was NOT.
Dewey received chemical burns over a good portion of his belly and hind legs from the liquid in the reed diffuser. He spent five days at the vet having his wounds debrided. They had to put him under anesthesia because it would have been too painful otherwise. This is what some of his wounds look like after he was treated. There were more on his belly and other leg, and this actually looks GOOD compared to what it looked like when he was first taken to the vet. Here’s the scary part. The burns did not show up for over a week. We thought he was OK and was just “stained” from the liquid. That was not the case. Dewey will be OK, in time. But, what if this had been a child playing? What if those chemicals had spilled on a child’s face or in their eyes? You wouldn’t think the “stuff” in a reed diffuser would cause such horrific burns, but obviously this one did.
This is not a joke. Please inform your friends. I would hate to have something like this happen to a child. It’s bad enough it happened to an animal. If you have children or animals, either get rid of your reed diffusers, carefully research the options for the kinds of liquids used in them, or ‘rigorously’ ensure they can not be reached by either an animal or small child.”