What happens if you eat a mothball?

What happens if you eat a mothball?

The chemicals can harm blood cells. Effects may not appear for up to five days after a mothball is eaten. The symptoms of mothball poisoning include: Nausea, vomiting, belly pain and diarrhea.

How poisonous is a mothball?

Some of the chemicals in mothballs can cause reversible health effects that include headaches, nausea, eye and nose irritation and coughing. Exposure to naphthalene can cause more serious effects, including hemolytic anemia. Naphthalene is also a possible carcinogen.

How long does it take for a mothball to dissolve?

3-6 months
One mothball in open air takes 3-6 months to dissipate entirely. If you place the mothball underneath clothing or otherwise not in open air, it will take up to 12 months to completely dissipate.

Can a dog die from eating a mothball?

Poisoning most commonly occurs when dogs ingest mothballs. Ingestion of naphthalene mothballs can cause gastrointestinal upset and less frequently, anemia, neurologic signs, and kidney or liver damage. Modern PDB mothballs are less toxic but can still cause illness, especially when ingested.

Why do mothballs slowly disappear?

Mothballs in the U.S. contain high concentrations of either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. Both active ingredients are solid chemicals that slowly become fumes at room temperature. Mothballs slowly disappear as they turn into gas and mix with the surrounding air.

How do you get rid of mothball fumes?

One of the most successful methods for ridding the mothball smell from clothing is to soak the affected garments in a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. Alternatively, put the clothes in the washing machine and run a cycle using only vinegar; follow up with another wash cycle using detergent and softener.

Do dogs like the smell of mothballs?

Mothballs are extremely pungent, particularly in a closed in area. Don’t leave them on the floor or within reach where an overly curious dog might try to eat them. Dogs do not understand the obnoxious sensation of an overly potent smell, but it will do the job to keep them away.

What does it mean when your stool smells like mothballs?

“An infection in the gut can lead to changes in stool consistency, smell and size. “Infections with parasites can be particularly worrisome and can create distinctive, odd odors.” The parent’s subjective interpretation of the odor can resemble that of mothballs.

Is it safe to eat mothballs in Australia?

Are Mothballs Safe? By Janelle Sorensen February 22, 2011. From the WebMD Archives. A Baby’s Death Prompts a Call for a Ban. A few weeks ago, pediatricians in Australia called for a ban on a common ingredient in mothballs after it was linked to one baby’s death and brain damage in two others.

What should I do if my cat ate a moth ball?

“Gastric lavage” can be administered if within 30-60 mins of ingestion. ( source: Pet Education) Mothballs can be abused by people and cause anemia and liver disease. Get rid of those moth balls if you have cats or dogs. Acetominophen or tylenol as little as 250mg puts the vermin down in hours. Make some tunaminophen

What happens if a dog eats a moth ball?

Paradichlorobenzene is linked to kidney and liver disease. ( source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410536_3 ). Moth ball poisoning in cats and dogs causes: vomiting, seizures and possibly smell of moth balls on breath.

How many cats have been killed by mothballs?

There had been a lot of rain that week and it turned out that was the problem. The cats had gone underneath their house and drank from a puddle where the mothballs had dissolved. Mothballs contain several poisons with very long names. All of the symptoms fit. We had lost a total of four neighborhood cats in less than a week.