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Hi all. I just need to vent. If losing Sadie to blasto last fall wasn't enough! We think that Angel might have ingested a moth ball. We put moth balls around our camper to keep mice away and yesterday my husband and I took out our camper and Angel was with us. Well ten minutes later she was throwing white foam up. We didn't see her eat anything, but that's all we could really think that would make white foamy vomit. Well she played fine for the rest of the night, but come bed time she threw up 3 times! Same stuff white and foamy. This morning I followed her and sure enough there's blood in her stool, diarrhea. So off to the vet I go. I will keep you all updated, but anyone know if it was amoth ball how toxic it is to an animal? Any info appreciated.
Thanks,
Colleen

[gunner]

I really hope she didn't eat them, though, being a puppy, she no doubt gnaws on anything and everything.  Something isn't sitting right with her for sure, but it could be anything. 

You can check out this link, but brace yourself.  I'm glad I don't have any mothballs. 
http://www.ehow.com/how_155782_identify-signs-mothball.html

RE: Mice Repellent Recipes
Post By DW (Guest Post) (02/02/2008) 
 
Please don't use mothballs to repel mice! It is actually illegal to use mothballs for wildlife,
and it is also dangerous. There are two types of mothballs--napthalene and PDCB.
Exposure (by inhaling) to the first can cause hemolytic anemia, neurological problems,
and eye problems (among other things), while the second causes liver and kidney
problems and has been identified as a carcinogen. Young children can mistake them
for candy and ingestion poisoning can be fatal.
I'll be thinking of you,
Joyce

[Jen]

Ho Lawd! 
Our dogs are as bad as kids.

Here are a couple of links, but I didn't see a whole lot about it. 

http://www.i-love-dogs.com/dogsarticles/10-Things-In-Your-Home-That-Can-Kill-Your-Dog.html

6) Moth Balls: Moth balls are very dangerous to dogs. They contain an insecticide that causes central nervous system excitement and seizures. When metabolized, ingestion of moth balls can lead to liver failure. Symptoms of poisoning by moth balls include vomiting and seizures. If your dog has consumed moth balls, do NOT induce vomiting. Seek veterinary care immediately.

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_apcc_dyk#12
Mothballs
Mothballs can be potentially toxic to dogs, cats and other animals, particularly those containing an ingredient known as naphthalene. Some mothball formulations may alternatively contain an insecticide known as dichlorobenzene, which is somewhat less toxic than naphthalene. However, it can still cause stomach upset and potentially even neurologic effects, if large enough amounts are consumed. In 2005, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center managed close to four dozen cases involving animals exposed to mothball products.
Naphthalene can cause serious illness, including, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, liver, kidney and blood cell damage, swelling of the brain tissues, seizures, coma and death if ingested—and respiratory tract damage, if inhaled. Just one mothball can potentially produce significant illness.


Our dogs have eaten the craziest stuff. 

Once we had twin beagle pups that chowed down 2 lbs. of asst. chocolates while we were gone. They were fine, but gained the ability to sense the presence of chocolate anywhere in the house, causing much whining, begging, and gnashing of teeth.
(Sadly, they were stolen soon after.)

My mom, doing us a "favor", once dropped off a gallon bucket of commercial rat-bites (bread laced with the Super-Warfarin) while we weren't home.  Of course, our 2 dogs found and ate the entire bucket.  (Mega-doses of Vitamin K for a week, and they were fine too.) Luckily it wasn't her favorite: the kind laced w/phosphorus.

Mille was poisoned by trying to kill a toad of some sort.
Luckily, Pepto took care of that one. 

Our 1st dog drank a puddle of antifreeze (at mom's, of course) and we fed him Remegels for a week, and he was uncannily ok as well. 
He also chewed his way through 5 lbs. of potatoes one night, and man was he gassy!

I really hope Angel will be ok.  You don't need more problems.
Hoping for the best-
jen

[Wilson3]

ew ew ew i didnt even know they still made moth balls
i hope all is well with angel!!
hopfully it was just the taste that made her foam at the moth nad made her tummy upset

please keep us posted
wilson3

[CLS]

Hi Everyone, Thanks so much for all the great websites. Man, did I learn. No more moth balls for me! Angel went through every test in the book. Blood, cultures, fecal float, parasites, heartworm, X-ray of the abdomen. Everything can back A-ONE. I know since Sadie I can get really paranoid, but vomiting and blood in the stool is not normal! The vets do beleive that she probably ate a moth ball, but all tests can back negative and everything looks great. They kept her over night for observation, just to make sure there was no more vomiting or bloody stools. They called this morning and said she had a great night, had a nice solid stool, no blood, and her x-ray showed no obstructions in her belly.They said she looks really sad though! She's very dependant on us, well she's our child and is sooooo spoiled, so I can see her mopping. So off I go to pick her up!! Thanks everyone and word of advice NO MOTH BALLS!!!

[Jen]

Whew, that's great.
Thanks for letting us know.
jen

[Wilson3]

this is good news
im very happy for you guys!!!
wilson3

[luvmyjacks]

Boy you sure had us on the edge of our seats.  After Sadie it would have been a cruel twist to lose Angel too.  It's funny though if we try to make lemonade out of lemons we can be grateful for your close call because we all learned something from that accident.  I have a couple of big old blanket boxes and I was thinking of putting moth balls in them and storing some old blankets and sweaters.  My little Sadie  is very fast with the run and snatch and takes lots of stuff under the bed to trash so a mothball would be an easy score for her if she were lurking when I was filling the boxes.  Off to buy some cedar chips.  Glad to hear life is back to normal for you.

[gunner]

Angel must have a really close watching guardian angel of her own!  After reading all the horrible effects of mothball poisoning, and for her to come through totally unscathed is WONDERFUL!  What a sigh of relief! 

Lavender is another choice for a non-toxic moth deturrant.  In a neighboring woollen mill they have lavender all over the place and they are pleased with the effect.  It makes the place smell nice too.  Unfortunately it doesn't do anything for mice. 

So happy for Angel!