protectpets6

Preventing, countering pets' lead poisoning

Q - Can dogs and cats get lead poisoning? What are the symptoms and how is it treated? How can I prevent my pet from getting lead poisoning?
A - Dr. Mike Murphy, veterinary toxicologist at the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, said vets diagnose lead poisoning sometimes once every month or two in dogs brought to the clinic. He can recall only one cat found to have lead poisoning in the last few years. "It certainly exists in cats, but is not as common as in dogs," he said.
    Poisonous lead can be found in unexpected places. Pets, especially puppies, eat or chew on lead fishing weights and curtain weights at the bottom of draperies. The solder inside electronic equipment, such as VCRs, remotes and stereo components, is lead or lead based. Pets may chew or swallow pieces of electronic equipment. Do not leave fishing weights lying around and remove curtain weights until young pets are past the chewing phase. Keep electronic equipment out of range of a curious puppy.
    Pets are at risk if they live with owners remodeling or renovating a home that is 50 to 100 years old if they are scraping lead-based paint off the walls, said Murphy. If you are remodeling, keep pets out of the area until paint chips and dust are cleaned up. Until the 1930s, some paints contained almost 50 percent lead. By 1953, the paint industry limited the amount of lead in paint to no more than 1 percent, according to the Minneapolis Lead Program. Lead was banned from household paint in 1978. The cat diagnosed with lead poisoning by Murphy had licked its paws, apparently covered with lead paint chips or dust. Puppies have been known to eat paint chips. Owners need not be concerned about a pet getting lead poisoning by drinking water from the toilet, said Murphy.
    Some of the symptoms a pet may develop after ingesting lead include upset stomach, stopping eating, vomiting, diarrhea and blood in feces. Lead poisoning may affect the brain and although rare, can cause seizures and blindness. If untreated, lead poisoning can lead to death. A pet may become lethargic or its behavior may change. For example, a field dog that always responds to commands may become confused and not react the way it usually does. Signs of lead poisoning may develop over a few hours to a few days. If a cat or dog has licked paws covered with specks of lead paint, it may take a few days for symptoms to develop. Call your vet and take the pet to a clinic for an examination and test to determine blood-lead levels. Many diseases and health problems can cause similar symptoms, said Murphy. An x-ray may show a metal object in the dog's intestinal tract which can be surgically removed. A pet also can be treated with chelating agents, which bind the lead and distribute it into the urine to be eliminated within a few days. The owner gives the pet injections of medication a couple of times a day for several days. If animals that have become blind from lead poisoning are treated, many will regain their sight, said Murphy. "The majority of cases that are treated are successful and people get back their normal, healthy pets," he said.