I dont know - Page 5

Therese, if I can be of any help let me know. I am on the north west side of Houston and may be able to help with some clothes and essentials. Can't help with much more right now but let me know if there is anything I can do.

you guys are awesome.

I will not get the media involved, there is no need to, no one has done anything wrong or untoward. If anything, the exact opposit is occuring. Because I live in a small town and have been for 20 years, people I Had forgoten to think about are reaching out. I have known the director of the Emergency management division for almost 20 years, He owned the store near my house I always use. He called the red cross and is trying to get me some help there for the time being until things are sorted out. The head of the EPA in our area, knowing how limited funds are for me, contacted the state, explained my finacial situation and the state agree to send out HazMat crews to do clean up. The remainder of the mercury was found, the person my son got it from, and was contained this afternoon, He had 20 - 6-8 lb bottles of the stuff, I dont know where he got it.

I have to go, I stopped at the shop to get a cup of coffee, The local SPCA rented me a hotel room for the night :)
Thanks ya'll so much, you support has really meant alot to me :)
Therese

and Hodie thanks for the info, I will call poison control tonight about the metalic taste.

Sounds like everything is going to work out for you. I recommended the Media because I felt the more people that knew the more help you would have gotten. But I can also see how that could have backfired. Thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Stay strong and you will get through this. Norma

Update.

I cannot have access to the dogs, THe pups and GSD in the backyard as well as the ground are contanminated, I still dont know when I will be able to get the other dogs, they were left in the house for an extended time. I havnt heard back from anyone to find out what we are doing.

Shandra,

I can't imaging what you are going through!  Please keep your focus on keeping everyone as safe as possible.  How are YOU feeling, physically?  Is your son okay?  If there's nothing you can do about the dogs left at the property try at least to find out if they are being treated.  I would go to the highest authority available.  Start with the Director you stated you know.  Just try to find out if they're getting medical help and not suffering.  Hang in there brave lady. 

the authorities are allowing the dogs to sit inside the house without care?????  Puppies not being fed or watered????  I would be calling everyone, including the media, to make sure my animals were being taken care of - I hope I missed something in these posts and I am wrong - is someone taking care of these animals??

molly

Molliy, Shandra left the dog inside while she slept the first night, and while she was at work. Afterwards she was told she couldn't go back to the house. But they did move the dogs outside. It's the initial exposure she's talking about. Go back and read her posts for the details.

What a mess! You and your dogs are in my thoughts and prayers.

Jane

wHAT DOES YOUR VET HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS..... He could do a world of good if he has any knowledge of these people in controll.....he is a vet and thats his business     he should be able to have dogs transported to a decontamination kennel place and immed cleansing  and treatment.....keep calling people in the know....get to the top brass......

Shandra:  My heart goes out to you, your family & dogs.  I have nothing to contribute, just want you to know I'm sorry for what you are going through. 

ok, I am at the hotel for the night and have my laptop.

where to start, the last few days have been a nightmare that I cant wake up from.

Fed EPA has taken control of the situation due to the amount of mercury. It is friday so I have the weekend to get all of the information together that I possibly can.
The Director of of the EPA for the state of Texas is personally handling things here.
As far as the dogs, I finally got my baby, Goldie, today and I got skeeter also. We put them in a crate seperately and coered it with a blanket in the sun for 5 minutes to warm it up so tht if they were contaminated the vapors would be detectable. They both checked out clean. The Director said that them being outside in the sun helps the mercury vaporize faster so that was a big help.

The dogs in the back yard... All of the GSD's and my sons Rott, are a completely contaminated, the pups apparently took the bottle the mercury was in and drug it outside, then back inside. In the process they spilled mercury in the yard. They were tromping thru it and got it all over themselves and the yard. They then went to the other yard and that contaminated that yard, with the big dogs. Since they are all in the contaminated area andbeing recontaminated, the director is having to do more research to find out how to handle this. Shaving the dogs would not help and would possibly spread the contamination. Since all of the dogs are going to need medical attention with expensive medications, I plan on approaching the ASPCA and Humane Society for assistance witht he medical bills, It will be a learning experience for them. The dirt in the backyard will have to be removed and disposed of.As far as long term issues, I do not know yet, I know what some of the long term issues will be with me since I slept in there, not a pretty future.

The EPA nor the Animal Poison control or any of the emergency managments have ever had a case such as this and there is no protical in place, they are establishing that as they are working. There is nothing on the books about a spill of this magnitude in a residence and no recommendations for care of the dogs. My vet will have toget help with what to do from the Animal Poison control. Since at least 1 of the contaminated dogs are chipped with Homeagain Microchip, the consultation with them will not cost me, thats a blessing.

They will start cleanup in 2 weeks, it will take them appox 2 weeks to get thru with the clean up then they will have to recheck for mercury. The concern is the attic. I have an open space into the attic and since heat rises as well as vapors it is a concern.

Redcross came thru with 3 night at the hotel and 75.00 for food for the week for my son and myself.  This was before I knew how long I would be out of my house at the minumum, I will have to call them monday and go from there.

Reading the OSHA Hazardous data sheet, The symptoms of acute mercury poisoning should start subsiding soon which will be a relief, some of the symptoms are ery scary to experience. At least I am not glowing green! LOL Health wise, we have to wait on bloodwork to come back to determine the course of action. It could be a simple as pills that have to be taken that make you extrememly sick, to intramuscular injections that are extremely painful.

So at this point I am still in limbo, I have the next 3 nights accomodations taken care of so that gives me 3 days to work on more. I wont know anything more about my house for at least 3 weeks.

Now i need to concentrate on finding out what is going to be best for the dogs, Goldie and Skeeter will go to the vet onmonday if I cant get the vet in the office tomorrow. This is not a case of fastest care, it apparently does not dissipate nor does it get stronger. It is removed by the kidneys from what I have read. I think I am going to email the director of the Health and Human Services, Zoonosis Division, i