by Victoria Tiegert

Created on: September 25, 2009

Lead poisoning can be a very dangerous issue in the life of your canine companion. It occurs when the level of lead in the animal's system is higher than that which is normal and begins to cause symptoms. It can occur over time, but more often than not, lead poisoning occurs when a large amount of lead is ingested all at once. There are a number of things that can cause lead poisoning in your dog. One of the most common is when a dog resides in an older home where lead based paint is still in use or when the home is being updated and lead based materials are around for him or her to get into. Even the dust caused from lead based paint during a remodel can be enough to cause poisoning. There are also items, such as fishing weights, that are made of lead and might be ingested if the animal discovers it and is curious enough to go ahead and try a bite or two.

*Symptoms of lead poisoning in dogs

If your dog is displaying any of the following, you should consider the possibility that he or she may have lead poisoning: seizures, low appetite, vomiting, constipation followed by diarrhea, muscle spasms, loss of vision, muscle spasms, clumsiness, or clenching and chomping of jaws. The lead affects the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system, primarily, so the symptoms have to do with these areas of the dog's body.

If you see these symptoms, call your veterinarian immediately. There must be some diagnostic testing done to confirm this diagnosis, as these symptoms could indicate other issues as well. Diagnostic testing will give an absolute answer as it will show the level of lead that is in the blood.

*Treatment for lead poisoning in dogs

The primary goal of treatment will be to remove as much of the lead as possible from the dog's system, although if there are seizures, these will also need to be treated. Getting the lead out of the system is usually done by inducing vomiting. This is effective if the ingestion of the lead is recent enough that it is still in the intestinal system. Surgery may also be necessary. Chelatin or thiamine treatment are also options that your vet may consider.

Lead poisoning can cause many health problems for your dog, even leading to death if not treated immediately. Prevention is the best way to avoid the illness or loss of a beloved pet. Keep lead based items away from animals, just as you would small children who are equally curious. If you are in an older home, it is good to replace the lead based materials with new, safer ones. When you are doing this, keep the animal away from the activity so that they don't get even the dust on their coats. Preventing lead poisoning is just one more way that you can show your pet that you love them.

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