Lead Poisoning in Horses

Abstract

Excessive amounts of lead in ingested forage were found to be the primary cause of a chronic debilitating disorder in six horses. The high lead levels in forage were related to the presence of lead in surface soil accumulated from emissions of a nearby smelter. This study has demonstrated that young horses have a high susceptibility to toxic effects of lead. Older horses and cattle are more resistant. Testing of air, water, and human foodstuffs did not reveal evidence of a significant human health hazard. The cooperation of various government agencies at the federal, provincial, and local levels, together with private industry, has proved to be a highly effective approach to the investigation of a complex environmental pollution problem.