The Dog Bowl Pet Supply and BARF Raw Food Blog
The Dog Bowl is an online storefront that offers quality pet products including: raw dog food, B.A.R.F., pet beds, dog dental care, pet first aid kits for travel, and every other luxury pet gift imaginable.Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Lead Poisoning in Pets
The most common source of lead poisoning in pets is the lead-based paint once used on buildings. It flakes into the soil after renovating or demolishing old buildings and pets ingest it by digging or self-grooming after exposure. Household birds can ingest it by pecking walls and, due to their size, are affected quickly and sometimes fatally. But there are other, unexpected sources of lead to be aware of.
Lead can be absorbed when pets (most commonly puppies) chew on lead fishing weights, drapery weights, house keys, lead solder used in household electronic equipment, car batteries, plumbing materials and supplies, lubricating compounds, putty or tar paper, lead foil, golf balls, food packaging, and improperly glazed ceramic food or water bowls. If your pet is kept in the garage, be aware that gasoline exhaust contains lead.
Puppies and kittens may ingest lead by chewing or licking the metal parts on collars. (A large variety of handsome collars with lead-free metal parts can be found at www.thedogbowl.com.)
Lead affects the stability of the red blood cell (RBC) membrane.Young animals have a greater susceptibility to lead because of an increased blood-brain barrier permeability to lead, as well as greater absorption rates.
Signs of lead poisoning in dogs include behavior changes (lethargy, aggression, constant snapping, seizures, hysteria, hiding in dark areas, and depression), frothing at the mouth, anorexia (lack of appetite), weight loss, vomiting, blood in feces, and diarrhea. Signs in cats include anorexia (loss of appetite), vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. The toxic dose of lead in pets is 10 to 15 mg/kg in a single dose. However, signs of poisoning can occur from low-level chronic poisoning (5 mg/kg body weight per day).
Diagnostic tests include urine testing, complete blood count (CBC), and blood chemistry. The blood test for pets is the same as the one for humans but at about one-fifth the cost.
Radiographs may be required to determine if there is a lead object in the gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment includes removal of the lead source (endoscopy, surgery), decontamination (gastric lavage, enemas, activated charcoal, cathartics), and chelation therapy. (Lead binds to the chelating agents; this allows the lead to be excreted from the body.)
Prognosis depends on the severity of signs and the length of time the signs were present. Thankfully, most animals do not have residual neurological signs after recovery. But the best cure is prevention, so don’t forget to “childproof” your home for your fur-covered kids!
Lead can be absorbed when pets (most commonly puppies) chew on lead fishing weights, drapery weights, house keys, lead solder used in household electronic equipment, car batteries, plumbing materials and supplies, lubricating compounds, putty or tar paper, lead foil, golf balls, food packaging, and improperly glazed ceramic food or water bowls. If your pet is kept in the garage, be aware that gasoline exhaust contains lead.
Puppies and kittens may ingest lead by chewing or licking the metal parts on collars. (A large variety of handsome collars with lead-free metal parts can be found at www.thedogbowl.com.)
Lead affects the stability of the red blood cell (RBC) membrane.Young animals have a greater susceptibility to lead because of an increased blood-brain barrier permeability to lead, as well as greater absorption rates.
Signs of lead poisoning in dogs include behavior changes (lethargy, aggression, constant snapping, seizures, hysteria, hiding in dark areas, and depression), frothing at the mouth, anorexia (lack of appetite), weight loss, vomiting, blood in feces, and diarrhea. Signs in cats include anorexia (loss of appetite), vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. The toxic dose of lead in pets is 10 to 15 mg/kg in a single dose. However, signs of poisoning can occur from low-level chronic poisoning (5 mg/kg body weight per day).
Diagnostic tests include urine testing, complete blood count (CBC), and blood chemistry. The blood test for pets is the same as the one for humans but at about one-fifth the cost.
Radiographs may be required to determine if there is a lead object in the gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment includes removal of the lead source (endoscopy, surgery), decontamination (gastric lavage, enemas, activated charcoal, cathartics), and chelation therapy. (Lead binds to the chelating agents; this allows the lead to be excreted from the body.)
Prognosis depends on the severity of signs and the length of time the signs were present. Thankfully, most animals do not have residual neurological signs after recovery. But the best cure is prevention, so don’t forget to “childproof” your home for your fur-covered kids!
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