Police warn public after Hampshire man seriously ill after it is thought he took veterinary drugs

The first man, in his 50s, was taken to hospital on Tuesday evening where he remains in a serious condition in intensive care.

The second man, in his 40s from Basingstoke, received medical treatment after being taken to hospital at around midnight last night. He has since been discharged.

Police believe the incident may be linked to a burglary which took place between 8.30pm on June 29 and 5.55am on June 30 at a veterinary surgery in Worting Road, Basingstoke.

Two men, aged 36 and 47 from Basingstoke, have been arrested on suspicion of burglary and currently remain in custody.

A police statement said: ‘We are reiterating the warning that taking medications which are not prescribed for you and are not intended for human use, can have a significant and serious effect on health.

‘Anyone who has taken animal medicines or who knows someone who may have taken them, should seek medical help immediately.

‘One of the liquid preparations in particular - if inhaled, consumed orally or injected - could cause a severe reaction which could prove life threatening. It comes in a bottle branded “Iso-Flo” and contains Isoflurane.’

Anyone who is offered these drugs or has any information should call 101 and quote 44200238349.

‘If you find any suspicious drug packaging, bottles or canisters discarded, we would also ask that you don’t touch them but do get in touch with us by calling 101 and we can arrange to pick them up safely,’ the police statement added.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on portsmouth.co.uk. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to portsmouth.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit our Subscription page now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.