Eighty-five cases of lead poisoning in small companion
animals were retrospectively studied. Records from a lead toxicosis monitoring
program at Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston MA were reviewed from
1987 through 1992. The number of cases of lead poisoning substantially
declined from the previous 6 y. Affected animals included 53 dogs, 20 birds,
8 cats, 3 rabbits and 1 iguana. Ages ranged from 0.3-48 y, with a median
age of 1.5 y.
Gastrointestinal and neurologic signs predominated.
Blood lead concentrations ranged from 40-620 micrograms/dl. Seventy-three
animals were successfully treated with chelation therapy; 7 animals required
repeated treatments. Paint was identified as the most common source (32.4%)
of lead exposure.
Seventy of the 85 affected animals originated from
the greater Boston area. Fifty-seven percent of the cases located within
the Boston city limits could be traced to 3 inner city neighborhoods.
MeSH Terms: Animal Animals, Domestic* Bird Diseases/epidemiology
Bird Diseases/chemically induced Bird Diseases/blood Boston/epidemiology
Cat Diseases/epidemiology Cat Diseases/chemically induced Cat Diseases/blood
Cats Dog Diseases/epidemiology Dog Diseases/chemically induced Dog Diseases/blood
Dogs Erythrocytes, Abnormal/drug effects Female Lead/blood Lead Poisoning/veterinary*
Lead Poisoning/epidemiology Lead Poisoning/blood Male Paint Penicillamine/therapeutic
use Rabbits Reptiles Retrospective Studies Sex Distribution Treatment Outcome
Substances: Lead Penicillamine PMID: 8154098, UI: 94205173 the above report
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