My dog ate mothballs – what should I do?

Updated 2026-09-30 · 2 sources

Based on: US FDA – Center for Veterinary Medicine, Pet Poison Helpline

Call a vet today

Call your vet today for advice – don't wait until signs appear. Mothballs are toxic to dogs, and their chemicals can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin or stomach and intestines.

What to do now

What to do right now

Call your vet or the nearest emergency vet.
Note what was eaten, how much, and when.
Bring the packaging.
Remove what is left.
Keep your dog calm.

Don't

Do not make your dog vomit unless a vet tells you to.
Do not give any human medicine.

Why it can be dangerous

Mothballs are pesticides that slowly release a gas vapor to kill and repel moths and other insects.^[2] The chemicals in mothballs can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or absorbed through the stomach and intestines.^[2]

Signs to watch for

Vomiting
Lethargy
Tremors
Seizures
Weakness
Difficulty breathing

If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What signs should I watch for?

Vomiting, lethargy, tremors, seizures, weakness, and difficulty breathing.

Sources

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

The same page for cats →