Ideally you should visit an Emergency Veterinary Hospital regardless of distance as the older types of mothballs may cause anemia, tremors, seizures, vomiting, diarrhoea, loss of appetite among other symptoms; brown gums is very serious and if Vega’s gums are brown you should visit a Veterinarian immediately (again regardless of distance). The chosen IDLH, therefore, has been estimated from the probable oral lethal dose of 5 to 15 grams for an adult [Gerarde 1960 cited by AIHA 1967]. Naphthalene 91-20-3 Hazard Summary ... Signs of maternal toxicity (e.g., decreased body weight and lethargy) but no fetal effects were reported in rats and rabbits exposed to naphthalene via gavage. Shopp, GM; White, KL, Jr.; Holsapple, MP; et al. Weanling rats were fed 2% dietary naphthalene for 60 days by Fitzhugh and Buschke (1949) who reported Pathogenesis Etiology. In whatever form, naphthalene is about twice as toxic as paradichlorobenzene, which means that a pet can eat approximately twice as much paradichlorobenzene before death occurs. Toxicity most commonly occurs when dogs ingest mothballs. It can be used as a chemical intermediate, mainly used as a precursor to other chemicals.The single largest use of naphthalene is the industrial production of phthalic anhydride, although more phthalic anhydride is made from o-xylene. is the ingredient that is found in mothballs that are considered “older”, as the newer mothball concentrations on the shelves are produced with the less toxic paradichlorobenzene. Pumpkin is also rich in vitamin A, and too much can be toxic in dogs. In earlier times, mothballs were commonly added to storage bins, boxes and trunks to prevent clothing made from natural fibers from becoming infested with moth larvae. Modern PDB mothballs are less toxic but can still cause illness, especially when ingested. Summary of Studies of Naphthalene Ocular Toxicity in Animals ..... 7-25 Table 7-7. I hope your dog starts to feel better soon. Unfortunately we do not have the money to pay for the dog's medication, as we have a small general income. 9-6 Table 9-2. The veterinarian will want to determine which type of mothball your dog has consumed (“old” being naphthalene and the new type being paradichlorobenzene). Cats are more sensitive to their toxic effects, but dogs are more likely to ingest mothballs. Cats are more sensitive to the toxic effects of mothballs, but dogs are more likely to ingest mothballs. Naphthalene (CAS NO.91-20-3) has widely uses: 1. Naphthalene or its metabolites can cross the placenta in humans in amounts sufficient to cause fetal toxicity (U.S. EPA, 1986). The clinical syndrome due to chlorinated naphthalene toxicity in cattle, sheep and goats was termed hyperkeratosis or X disease because of skin thickening due to hyperkeratosis. Naphthalene is a white solid substance with a strong smell. Because naphthalene in particular causes red blood cell damage that can lead to oxygen deficiency in the blood, your pet will be monitored carefully and given oxygen as an additional supportive measure. In addition, your pet may experience serious complications with the liver or kidneys if there is an ongoing or underlying problem with these organs already in place. If Eclipse isn’t drinking or urinating, she may need intravenous fluids and other medications given by your Veterinarian regardless of cost. Case 2: A 6-month-old 20-pound dog swallowed an unknown quantity of naphthalene mothballs that someone had spread all across a lawn. This is used to bind poisons together and will be used at the discretion of your veterinarian, depending on the circumstances of your pet. Dose-Response Information from Five Key Studies of Naphthalene Toxicity . If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local … Dogs can experience discomfort as follows. These two chemicals are also available as flakes, cakes, and crystals, in addition to mothballs. In whatever form, naphthalene is about twice as toxic as paradichlorobenzene, which means that a pet can eat approximately twice as much paradichlorobenzene before death occurs. Depending on your pet’s condition and how far away you are from the clinic, your veterinarian may recommend that you induce vomiting at home or that you bring your pet in for the procedure. My vet is unavailable and we don't have a dog hospital anywhere near us.. what can I do to help her, Older mothballs contain naphthalene which is more toxic to dogs than ‘newer’ mothballs, it is important to induce vomiting with 3% hydrogen peroxide if any mothballs were consumed and to administer activated charcoal afterwards every four hours. Of the species studied, only dogs (in a poorly conducted study) demonstrated naphthalene-induced haemolytic anaemia. I have a 6 month old great Pyrenees's that's came in contact with the older moth balls she has been vomiting and is lethargic! The haemolytic effects of naphthalene toxicity as seen in humans have not been observed in common laboratory species such as rats and mice. Mothballs contain toxic chemicals, namely naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene, which are unsafe for people, pets and wildlife. Anemia / Lethargy / Pain / Seizures / Shaking / Vomiting, Irritation of the eyes and nose from vapors, Burning sensation on skin from dermal exposure, Severe cases will see anemia and possible vomiting of blood, Dogs with extensive poisoning may have brown mucus membranes, Mothballs are very odorous and inhalation of the fumes is toxic, Ingestion of mothballs can occur when a pet finds them in a garden or in an area where they have been left exposed, Mothballs are designed to be used in closed containers or bags containing clothing in order to repel moths, and are not meant as a rodent, snake or wildlife repellent, Both paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene vaporize at room temperature which can cause toxicity due to the fumes, Naphthalene in particular can damage red blood cells, The red blood cells can no longer transport oxygen to the heart and other organs. At least one bird died as a result. This is called methemoglobinemia and will be addressed by medication such as ascorbic acid, methylene blue, or N-Acetylcysteine, and blood transfusion if needed. Basis for original (SCP) IDLH: No useful data on acute inhalation toxicity are available on which to base the IDLH for naphthalene. Though it is freely available around this country, poisoning has never been reported in the literature. According to the APCC, most of these cases involve a pet eating a mothball, but problems can also arise when they are exposed to the fumes that mothballs produce or when their skin comes in contact with them. The symptoms of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene toxicity are different too. During metabolism, excretion is primarily through the urine but sometimes the bile is involved. The vet can identify them by seeing if they float in salt water. 91-20-3) administered by gavage to Sprague-Dawley (CD) rats on gestational days 6 through 15: Final study report and appendix; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, National Toxicology Program, TER91006: Research Triangle Park, NC, 1991, p 76. Other signs seen include icterus, vomiting and Heinz body anaemia. Oral and intraperitoneal studies with animals showed that naphthalene distributes to several tissues. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM, My dog ingested mothballs but we cannot afford to pay $750. Placing mothballs in a garden, attic space or garbage can in an attempt to discourage creatures like raccoons, snakes, birds, and squirrels is entirely erroneous and presents a danger to wildlife and in turn, to domesticated pets like cats and dogs. Long-term exposure to mothball fumes can also harm pets and people. The 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and its sodium salt were found to be irritating to the eye. One may not commonly think of mothballs as a pesticide product; in fact, mothballs are often used in ways that are not suitable or effective. The chlorinated naphthalenes caused squamous metaplasia of the vagina, cervix and uterus, as well as Gartner’s ducts leading to cystic enlargement (see Figure 19.13). In rare cases, red blood cell damage and anemia are possible. If your dog ate mothballs, it would be best to see a vet. First and foremost, the veterinary team will want to stabilize your furry family member so the severity of the poisoning can be evaluated. What happen to a dog after eating a mothball. If you suspect that your pet has eaten a mothball (or been exposed by another route), call your veterinarian immediately. No symptoms have yet shown up. In 1903, Ludwig Roselius popularized the use of benzene to decaffeinate coffee. (1984) Naphthalene toxicity in CD-1 mice: general toxicology and immunotoxicology. If there are heavy tremors and seizures your pet will receive drugs to counteract these symptoms as well. The time of the ingestion was unknown. However, studies in animal models (mainly rats, mice and rabbits) have indicated that the toxic effects of naphthalene seen in these species are different from those in humans. While both types can harm your cat, they are treated differently. Naphthalene is of low toxicity in rats, with mice being more sensitive. Blood markers taken at time of admission will be compared to tests taken during treatment to ascertain how well your dog is recovering. Although biochemical alterations and tissue damaging effects have been demonstrated in a number of tissues, clinically the two most prominent tissues associated with toxicity … In either case, unless you and your vet are certain that your pet has no more naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene in its system, further treatment will be necessary. Cat Nutrition: What Makes a Nutritional Cat Food? Fluid therapy is crucial as it can flush out the system and protect organs such as the kidney, which is known to be affected by mothball poisoning. I would recommend visiting your Veterinarian regardless of cost as mothball poisoning may lead to organ failure and death in severe cases. toxicity (Fitzbugh and Buschke, 1949; Van Heyningen and Pirie, 1976; Ghetti and Mar-iani, 1956). After being eaten, naphthalene first affects the gastrointestinal system, causing vomiting and poor appetite, but problems don’t stop there. Naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene are two ingredients used in mothballs. Naphthalene can also be absorbed through the skin and lungs, but the most severe problems develop after ingestion. But sometimes, despite our best efforts, animals do get exposed. Hello, In general dogs require 2272 IU per pound of dry food consumed. Modern PDB mothballs are less toxic but still can cause illness, especially when ingested. cause we can't afford 750 dollars for the vet, Luckily Eclipse didn’t eat the mothballs but the pesticide was still inhaled. "Ingestion of naphthalene mothballs can cause anemia, lethargy, vomiting, and sometimes kidney or liver damage." Cataracts and liver damage may develop too. It should be suspected in patients with acute onset dark brown urine, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, combined with acute hemolytic anemia, methemoglobinemia, and acute kidney injury. © 2020 Wag Labs, Inc. All rights reserved. Cataracts and liver damage are possible as well. ACUTE TOXICITY DATA: But that becomes irrelevant when it’s your pet who has become sick. Naphtalene and paradichlorobenzene-containing mothballs are reported to be abused by inhalation (Weintraub et al., 2000). frequently emerged,whereas toxicity case reports in dogs are lacking [7,12-26]. Clearly the best way to protect pets from naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene is to keep them away from mothballs (far away if we’re talking about a bird). Your dog may exhibit the following signs of poison. The veterinarian consulted Poison Control when the dog was brought in lethargic, anemic, vomiting blood, and bleeding into his abdomen. If the results of blood work show that your pet has anemia, a blood transfusion and medications that protect red blood cells may also be needed. Of course, a very small dog will become sick faster than a larger canine who has consumed the same amount. These signs usually appear within 30 min to 4 hr after exposure. Our dog may have just recently swallowed mothballs, it has been over 3 hours because we did not know until we came back from shopping for groceries. Knowing whether your dog has ingested the most toxic ingredient or the milder chemical is beneficial. I would recommend to be on the safe side, visiting your Veterinarian and take packaging or information about the mothball product (different products, different ingredients) and have Simba checked over. The substance may be orally ingested, inhaled, or cause symptoms through skin and eye exposure (direct contact) This intake could be accidental, or in some cases intentional, to bring self-harm Toxicity from naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene is most dangerous with ingestion, but documentation shows that inhalation of vapors and dermal exposure can cause serious effects and irritation to dogs as well. Skin contact with paradichlorobenzene can result in a burning sensation and local irritation. If you have mothballs in your home, you need to know what makes them toxic and what to do if your pet comes into contact with them. This may include gastric lavage (washing out the stomach), administration of activated charcoal, or fluid therapy and drugs to limit vomiting, seizures, and damage to the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Naphthalene toxicity requires a high level of suspicion if exposure is unknown. Your vet can treat your dog for toxicity to the mothballs. Mothball Toxicity in Pets: What You Need to Know. Mothballs do not dissolve quickly in the stomach; therefore, if the ingestion was less than 2 hours prior, vomiting may be induced but only if your dog is asymptomatic. There were pieces on the floor as well. Naphthalene Poisoning is caused by intake of naphthalene containing compounds. Naphthalene is metabolizedby the liver to alpha-naphthol, beta-naphthol, alpha-naphtholquinone, and beta-naphtholquinone. The following are available 24 hours a day and charge a nominal fee for their services: Pet Poison Hotline 800-213-6680 http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center 888-426-4435 https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control From 71 quotes ranging from $300 - $3,000. Several safe alternatives exist to the use of mothballs, including cedar blocks or The ingestion of mothballs, which come as flakes, tablets, crystals, bars, and balls, can be appealing to dogs due to the odor that they emit and the curious nature of our pets. If your dog has underlying anemia or organ problems to begin with, or if the poisoning was so severe that the kidneys or liver were damaged, the outlook is more grave. Naphthalene acetates have low acute toxicity via the oral, inhalation and dermal routes of exposure. As far as a dog’s preference for eating or licking, dogs may eat almost anything; you wouldn’t believe what we’ve retrieved from dog’s stomachs before. Random bred CD-1 mice were used to evaluate the acute oral toxicity and subchronic toxicity of naphthalene administered in corn oil.