Lead poisoning
Diagnosis
History of illness, clinical signs of central nervous system disturbance, biochemical analysis of tissues. In calves, thymic haemorrhages are a frequent finding at necropsy.
Specimens required
In the live animal:
- 100 g of faeces.
- 10 ml EDTA blood tube.
In the dead animal:
- 50 g of kidney, submitted chilled for toxicology.
- Sections of liver and kidney, and whole brain in buffered formalin for histopathology.
Interpretation of lead concentrations (cattle and sheep)
| Sample | Minimum amount | Units | Normal | Possibly toxic | Toxic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDTA blood | 5ml | µmol/L | <1.2 | >1.2 | |
| Kidney (Liver) | 50g | mg/kg (wet wt) | < 4 | 4-25 | >25 |
| Faeces | 100g | mg/kg (wet wt) | <10 | 10-25 | >25 |
Kidney lead concentrations below 4 mg/kg are considered non-significant. Higher concentrations should be interpreted on the basis of clinical findings and histopathology.
Faecal lead concentrations below 10 mg/kg are considered non-significant. Higher concentrations could be significant depending on the source of lead.