It is natural for pets to consume things beyond their usual diet as they play around. Dogs tend to put their noses everywhere so anything can end up in their mouth and digestive organs. Household items such as mothballs are unnatural but not uncommon for dogs to end up ingesting. Knowing the impacts of such situations is a must for every pet owner out there.
Aside from the result of being simply inquisitive, consumption of mothballs can also be a result of carelessness. Pets end up placing the item in their mouths and swallowing them without real intention to do so. It is good for some dogs to be squeamish and picky as they check thoroughly first before eating something. Majority of the canine population though are adventurous, careless or a combination of both.
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What Are Mothballs
Falling under the category of solid pesticides, mothballs are used to fend off and kill moths. They emit a vapor that affects moths specifically but also works for mice and snakes. They contain naphthalene especially the older variety while the newer ones have paradichlorobenzene plus a hint of camphor at times. Paradichlorobenzene has replaced naphthalene because of the latter’ higher flammable and toxic nature. Mothballs are not always in ball shapes as they can also be spherical, flake and cubic forms. They are mostly used with stored clothes and other fabric materials. To preserve the killing vapor, these moth repellents are designed to be kept in sealed containers. Some homeowners have started to place them in gardens and garbage areas to drive off raccoon, squirrels, and snakes.
Are Mothballs Good Or Bad For Dogs?
It is terrible for animals, including dogs, as well as humans. This is because of the vast amount of insect repellent present in this item. In fact, it is not just bad but actually fatal when ingested by animals. The item’s level of toxicity depends mainly on its size and the chemical concentration level it contains. It does not take a lot of mothballs for poisoning to take place. There is even some proof that inhaling the vapor can actually result in some levels of irritation in dogs.
What Are The Signs Of Mothball Poisoning?
When dogs consume mothballs, the most common effects are nausea and vomiting. There is also a loss of appetite coupled with diarrhea and lethargy. Dogs might break out into seizures, which can evolve into dangerous situations such as cerebral swelling and coma. Inhalation will bring the symptoms after a few minutes while consumption will result in the symptoms in a few hours. If consumed for a long time, the symptoms will take more than a few days to show up. Diseases such as methemoglobinemia and Heinz anemia can arise if no action is taken.
Will Dogs Eat Mothballs?
Despite dogs’ tendency to eat just about anything, there is actually a chance that they will refrain from ingesting mothballs. Some natural items including both food and non-food ones have a repelling smell for dogs. The list actually includes mothballs. One can check this by exposing the dog to a new piece of mothball and observe its reaction. However, dogs can be careless, or the moth repellents can be less smelly at some point. Such conditions among others can result in unintentional consumption, which can be fatal.
What To Do When Dogs Consume Mothballs?
An antidote for the toxic effects of mothballs does not exist currently. The immediate reaction is to decontaminate the pet’s body to avoid the ill effects of the toxins. One way of doing so is inducing vomiting to take out the toxin from the body. For the pet-owner though, the first step to do is bring the pet to the veterinarian.
It is recommended for the pet-owner to bring the mothball packaging along when going to the doctor. The veterinarian will check on the mothball type and specifications that will be very helpful in dealing with the pet’s situation. It will not take a longer time to determine the variety of toxin ingested. This also means that the physician can proceed to the treatment process upon knowing the cause of the problem.
How Will Mothball Poisoning Be Treated?
The veterinarian will start by checking the dog’s basic status and taking note of what it is experiencing. A quick interview with the pet owner will also take place to understand the situation that came to be. An analysis of the information from both processes will usually result in the diagnosis.
It is also best to conduct a blood test such as a complete blood count or serum chemistry. This is to see if the organs are unaffected and still working correctly. In addition to that, these test results will serve as markets to be compared with during the treatment period. This is for the purpose of determining the effects of the treatment conducted and how well the pet is recovering.
Once the diagnosis has been precisely determined, it is the first priority to stabilize the dog, so treatment can be started. Since the dissolution of mothballs in the stomach does not happen very fast, it can be removed from one’s system. Vomiting can bring it out within the first 2 hours after consumption. However, this can be applied only in the absence of any symptoms.
Pets who are vomiting are already decontaminating naturally so the veterinarian can proceed with the supportive measures. One of which is feeding the dog with the medication required for relieving it from the pain of gastric irritation. Another goal at this point is to stop acid production. In cases where seizures and tremors are taking place, medication for counteracting them should be given as well.
Depending on the case, fluids, oxygen, and activated charcoal can be introduced in the treatment. Intravenous fluid therapy flushes toxins out while oxygen can be added to deal with the red blood cell damage. Activated charcoal works in binding poison together and will be helpful in certain poisoning cases. Blood transfusion is required in severe cases usually characterized by brown mucous membranes and blood samples.
What Can Pet Owners Do?
Keeping mothballs far from the access of pets is the responsibility of homeowners. These items should be kept in wholly closed containers and never used loosely at home. They should not be mixed with other chemicals and insecticides. If possible, opt for safer alternatives.
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