Animal lead poisoning (also known as avian plumbism, or avian saturnism for birds) is a

veterinary Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all animal species, both ...

condition and

pathology Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

caused by increased levels of the heavy metal

lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...

in an animal's body. Lead interferes with a variety of body and natural processes. It is toxic to many organs and tissues including the

heart The heart is a muscular Organ (biology), organ found in humans and other animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels. The heart and blood vessels together make the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrie ...

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

intestine The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascular system. T ...

kidney In humans, the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped blood-filtering organ (anatomy), organs that are a multilobar, multipapillary form of mammalian kidneys, usually without signs of external lobulation. They are located on the left and rig ...

s, and

reproductive The reproductive system of an organism, also known as the genital system, is the biological system made up of all the anatomical organs involved in sexual reproduction. Many non-living substances such as fluids, hormones, and pheromones are al ...

and nervous systems. It mainly affects the

haematopoietic system The haematopoietic system ( spelled hematopoietic system in American English) is the system in the body involved in the creation of the cells of blood. Structure Stem cells Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in the medulla of the bone (bon ...

. It also affects the

sulfhydryl In organic chemistry, a thiol (; ), or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form , where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl grou ...

group containing

enzymes An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as pro ...

and also

thiol In organic chemistry, a thiol (; ), or thiol derivative, is any organosulfur compound of the form , where R represents an alkyl or other organic substituent. The functional group itself is referred to as either a thiol group or a sulfhydryl grou ...

content of

erythrocyte Red blood cells (RBCs), referred to as erythrocytes (, with -''cyte'' translated as 'cell' in modern usage) in academia and medical publishing, also known as red cells, erythroid cells, and rarely haematids, are the most common type of blood ce ...

. Furthermore, it inhibits the enzyme delta amino levaminic acid dehydrogenase enzyme (ALA) which is present in the

red blood cell Red blood cells (RBCs), referred to as erythrocytes (, with -''cyte'' translated as 'cell' in modern usage) in academia and medical publishing, also known as red cells, erythroid cells, and rarely haematids, are the most common type of blood cel ...

. It is therefore particularly toxic to young animals, mainly dogs and cattle. As in humans, ''animal

lead poisoning Lead poisoning, also known as plumbism and saturnism, is a type of metal poisoning caused by lead in the body. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, constipation, headaches, irritability, memory problems, infertility, numbness and paresthesia, t ...

'' may be acute (from intense exposure of short duration) or chronic (from repeat low-level exposure over a prolonged period). Acute intoxication can quickly lead to

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

Prevalence

Lead is now a common environmental pollutant. For the birds, a common source is lead shot, eaten as grit.

Routes of exposure to lead poisoning

Routes of Exposure Animals can be exposed to lead through multiple pathways, varying by species, behavior, and environment: 1. ''Ingestion of Lead-Contaminated Materials:'' - Foraging and Grazing: Livestock, such as cattle, may ingest lead particles present in soil or vegetation contaminated by industrial activities or proximity to roads with heavy traffic.Merck Veterinary Manual Title: Lead Poisoning in Animals Website: Merck Veterinary Manual URL: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/lead-poisoning/lead-poisoning-in-animals Access Date: March 23, 2025 - Scavenging: Predatory and scavenging species, including birds of prey and mammals, can consume carcasses containing lead bullet fragments, leading to secondary poisoning. 2. ''Ingestion of Spent Ammunition:'' - Misidentification as Food or Grit: Birds, particularly waterfowl, may ingest spent lead shot, mistaking it for food or grit, which aids in digestion. This behavior has been a significant source of lead poisoning in avian species.MN Center for Environmental Advocacy Title: Impacts from Spent Lead Ammunition Website: Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy URL: https://www.mncenter.org/sites/default/files/document-grid/updated_%20fact_sheet_-_impacts_from_spent_lead.pdf Access Date: March 23, 2025 3. ''Environmental Contamination:'' - Lead-Based Paint and Industrial Sources: Animals residing near structures with deteriorating lead-based paint or in areas with industrial pollution may ingest or inhale lead particles. 4. ''Dietary Exposure:'' - Contaminated Feed or Water: Livestock and poultry can be exposed to lead through contaminated feed or water sources, especially in areas near mining operations or where lead-containing materials are improperly discarded. 5. Maternal Transfer: - Transplacental and Lactational: Lead can cross the placental barrier and be excreted in milk, leading to exposure in offspring during gestation and nursing. 6. Occupational Exposure: - Working Animals: Animals involved in activities such as hunting or those living in agricultural settings may be exposed to lead through contact with contaminated environments or materials. ''Potential Human Health Risks:'' - Animals experiencing lead poisoning can indirectly pose risks to human health, primarily through dietary consumption of contaminated meat products or environmental contamination, emphasizing the importance of addressing lead exposure through a One Health approach.

Prevention

The use of alternative metals in shot such as steel and tungsten have been implemented since 1991 in the United States for all migratory bird hunting. Some ammunition manufacturers are producing bullets made of solid copper or a mix of 95% copper and 5% zinc, which are in ways superior to lead bullets. There have been efforts to dredge marshlands to remove the build-up of lead in the sediment from the past, however efforts such as this are expensive.

Treatment

For precious animals; * Repeat screening, case
management to abate sources * Medical and environmental evaluation, * veterinary evaluation,
chelation, case management * If necessary, veterinary hospitalization, immediate
chelation, case management. The mainstays of treatment are removal from the source of lead and, for precious animals who have significantly high blood lead levels or who have symptoms of poisoning,

chelation therapy Chelation therapy is a medical procedure that involves the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. Chelation therapy has a long history of use in clinical toxicology and remains in use for some very specific medic ...

with a

chelating agent Chelation () is a type of bonding of ions and their molecules to metal ions. It involves the formation or presence of two or more separate coordinate bonds between a polydentate (multiple bonded) ligand and a single central metal atom. These l ...

Wildlife and lead poisoning

Lead, one of the leading causes of toxicity in waterfowl, has been known to cause die-offs of wild bird populations. When hunters use

lead shot Shot is a collective term for small spheres or pellets, often made of lead. These have been projected from slings since ancient times and were the original projectiles for shotguns and are still fired primarily from shotguns and grenade launch ...

waterfowl Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which i ...

such as ducks and other species (swan especially) can ingest the spent pellets later and be poisoned; predators that eat these birds are also at risk. Lead shot-related waterfowl poisonings were first documented in the US in the 1880s. By 1919, the spent lead pellets from waterfowl hunting were positively identified as the source of waterfowl deaths.Federal Cartridge Company Waterfowl and Steel Shot Guide. Volume I; 1988. Lead shot has been banned for hunting waterfowl in several countries, including the US in 1991 and 1997 in Canada. Other threats to wildlife include lead paint, sediment from lead mines and smelters, and lead weights from fishing lines. Lead in some fishing gear has been banned in several countries. The

critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...

California condor The California condor (''Gymnogyps californianus'') is a New World vulture and the largest North American land bird. It became extinct in the wild in 1987 when all remaining wild individuals were captured, but has since been reintroduced to n ...

has also been affected by lead poisoning. As

scavenger Scavengers are animals that consume Corpse decomposition, dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a he ...

s, condors eat carcasses of game that have been shot but not retrieved, and with them the fragments from lead bullets; this increases their lead levels. Among condors around the

Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. The Grand Canyon is long, up to wide and attains a depth of over a mile (). The canyon and adjacent rim are contained within Grand Canyon Nati ...

, lead poisoning due to eating lead shot is the most frequently diagnosed cause of death. In an effort to protect this species, in areas designated as the California condor's range, the use of projectiles containing lead has been banned to hunt deer, wild pig, elk, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, ground squirrels, and other non-game wildlife. Also, conservation programs exist which routinely capture condors, check their blood lead levels, and treat cases of poisoning.

Farm animals

Cows and horses, as well as pet animals are also susceptible to the effects of lead toxicity. Sources of lead exposure in pets can be the same as those that present health threats to humans sharing the environment, such as paint and blinds, and there is sometimes lead in toys made for pets. Lead poisoning in a pet dog may indicate that children in the same household are at increased risk for elevated lead levels.

References

Cited texts

* * * * * * * * *

External links

National Pollutant Inventory - Lead and Lead Compounds Fact Sheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lead Poisoning

Animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Biology, biological Kingdom (biology), kingdom Animalia (). With few exceptions, animals heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, ...

Veterinary toxicology Animal health