MOTHBALLS ? BAD FOR THE MOTHS AND BAD FOR YOUR DOG
Many dogs live inside the house with their owners, and have free range of the home. If your dog likes to explore your closet, he may be at risk of naphthalene poisoning.
Naphthalene is the active ingredient in most mothballs. It is a component of fossil fuels such as petroleum and is also produced when tobacco is burned. You will also find it in the scented blocks used to deodorize toilets. Dogs usually become poisoned when they eat the naphthalene, but inhalation of the concentrated fumes can cause nausea. The naphthalene is absorbed by the fatty tissues in the body, and then spreads to the liver and kidney.
The toxic dose of naphthalene in dogs is 400mg per kilo bodyweight. The average mothball weighs approximately 4g. If you do some mathematics, you?ll see that one mothball may be enough to adversely affect a 10kg dog.
Diagnosis isn?t usually difficult as your dog?s breath usually smells of mothballs! A history of your dog playing with mothballs is also helpful. There are characteristic changes to the red blood cells which can be detected on blood tests, and as red blood cells can be destroyed by naphthalene, dogs may be anemic.
Symptoms of naphthalene poisoning are initially vomiting, lethargy and depression; however dogs may also have tremors and seizures. These symptoms occur with many other illnesses in dogs, so aren?t specific to naphthalene poisoning. Your dog?s gums will be brown in colour, due to the hemoglobin in blood being converted to methemoglobin, which has very poor oxygen carrying capacity. Blood tests may show liver and kidney damage.
As there is no antidote to naphthalene poisoning, treatment is to support your dog?s body systems as it recovers. Your vet will give your dog medication to make him vomit if he?s only recently eaten the mothballs, and activated charcoal can be given to stop any further absorption. Intravenous fluids are necessary, and your dog may need oxygen if there is a lot of methemoglobin in his blood and his tissues are becoming oxygen deprived.
As with other poisons with no specific antidote, the outcome depends on how severely your dog is affected. Dogs with mild symptoms usually recover with treatment, however if your dog has liver failure, the prognosis isn?t as good.
Prevention obviously involves keeping your dog away from sources of naphthalene. Shut your closet door so he can?t get access to mothballs. Some dogs like to drink from the toilet, and they may nibble on the fragrant toilet block. Keep the door shut when it?s not in use.
