Abstract
The present study reports the occurrence of lead poisoning in a male, 2 year-old mongrel dog attended at UNESP Botucatu Veterinary Hospital. The animal was brought to the hospital with claim of gastrointestinal and nervous disturbs for 10 days, worsening in the last 24 hours. After unsuccessfully attempts to control status epileticus, the animal died. Hematological evaluation revealed significant rubricytosis and basophilic stippling, highly suggestive of lead poisoning. Serum lead concentration confirmed toxic levels of this element. Necropsy evidenced the presence of foreign bodies in stomach (one stone and two metallic objects) and, microscopically, characteristic inclusions in renal parenchyma. Fragments obtained from liver and kidneys revealed lead concentrations of 0, 8 μg/g and 25 μg/g, respectively, which in association to clinical signs of saturnism, determined the diagnosis of lead poisoning.
Highlights
Lead is a metal found in the nature in free state or in composition with a variety of elements (Cordeiro e Lima Filho, 1995)
Unlike other elements – as iron, zinc, cobalt, chrome, manganese and copper – lead is an element absolutely estrange to animal metabolism in any quantity. It is considered a neurotoxin which presence above a critical concentration in diverse tissues interferes with metabolic pathways, causing clinical signs of the disease known as saturnism or lead poisoning (Cordeiro e Lima Filho, 1995)
The aim of the present study is to report a case of lead poisoning in a male, 2 year-old mongrel dog attended at UNESP Botucatu
Summary
Lead (or plumbus) is a metal found in the nature in free state or in composition with a variety of elements (Cordeiro e Lima Filho, 1995). Because of its low point of fusion and high maleability, lead was one of the first metals manipulated by men and, one of the first known toxic compounds (Cordeiro e Lima Filho, 1995; Hueza et al, 2008). Unlike other elements – as iron, zinc, cobalt, chrome, manganese and copper – lead is an element absolutely estrange to animal metabolism in any quantity. It is considered a neurotoxin which presence above a critical concentration in diverse tissues interferes with metabolic pathways, causing clinical signs of the disease known as saturnism or lead poisoning (Cordeiro e Lima Filho, 1995)
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