Lead Poisoning in Dogs: Analysis of Blood, Urine, Hair, and Liver for Lead

Abstract

SUMMARY The diagnoses of lead poisoning in dogs may be materially assisted by the measurement of lead in certain body tissues and fluids. Blood lead analyses were determined to be the best single antemortem test of those studied. Assessments of lead in hair, or of lead in urine were seldom of diagnostic worth; however, urine lead determinations after 24 hours of chelation therapy had considerable interpretive value. Analysis for lead in liver was the most reliable test of those studied for the diagnosis of lead poisoning. Values which had diagnostic significance were: blood lead, 35 μg. or more/100 ml.; urine lead, 75 μg. or more/L.; urine lead 24 hours after start of chelation therapy, 821 μg. or more/L.; hair lead, 88 μg. or more/Gm.; liver lead (wet weight), 3.6 μg. or more/Gm.