Lead Poisoning in Dogs: Signs and Treatment

Lead poisoning in dogs occurs when a dog swallows or is exposed to toxic amounts of lead, causing digestive and nervous system symptoms that can become life-threatening without prompt treatment.  

Although uncommon, lead poisoning is a medical emergency that requires immediate veterinary care. 

Dogs are most often exposed to lead through lead-based paint, contaminated soil, old household items, fishing weights, batteries, and other lead-containing materials.  

Learn the signs of lead poisoning in dogs, how veterinarians diagnose and treat the condition, and what you can do to help prevent exposure. 

What Is Lead Poisoning in Dogs?

Lead poisoning in dogs happens when toxic levels of lead enter the blood and soft tissues of the dog’s body.  

The main parts of the body that are affected by lead poisoning are the gastrointestinal (digestive) system and the nervous system.  

Once lead is absorbed, it can be stored in the dog’s bones, allowing levels to grow over time. The bones can act as a long-term toxic reservoir. 

If you suspect lead poisoning, also known as lead toxicosis, you should seek emergency care for your pet. 

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning in Dogs

The gastrointestinal system and the nervous system are usually the most affected by lead poisoning, so many signs are digestive or neurologic. 

Common symptoms of lead poisoning in dogs include: 

• Decreased or absent appetite 

• Vomiting 

• Diarrhea or constipation 

• Abdominal pain 

• Anxiety 

• Barking and jaw champing 

• Excessive salivation (drooling) or frothing at the mouth 

• Drunken or uncoordinated gait (ataxia) 

• Blindness 

• Muscle spasms 

• Convulsions 

• Extreme hyperextension of the head, neck, and spine, causing a rigidly arched body (opisthotonus) 

Causes of Lead Poisoning in Dogs

Most causes of lead poisoning in dogs are related to eating or licking lead-containing materials.  

The most common cause of lead poisoning in dogs is ingesting lead-based paint. Lead-based paints are no longer available in the United States, but their historical use in buildings has led to soil contamination, especially when the buildings are renovated or worn down. Dogs can eat the lead by digging in the soil and self-grooming.  

Your dog’s risk may be higher if you live in a home built before 1977, which is when lead-based paints were banned. 

Other sources of potential lead poisoning include old toys, fishing weights, car batteries, and plumbing supplies. Dogs may also get toxic levels of lead if they eat meat from animals that have been shot with ammunition containing lead. 

Lead poisoning is more common in puppies and young dogs because they’re more likely to chew on foreign objects than mature dogs. 

How Veterinarians Diagnose Lead Poisoning in Dogs

The veterinarian may suspect lead poisoning in dogs based on your pet’s clinical signs and any known history of eating potential lead.  

Make sure to let your veterinarian know if your dog has a history of eating things they shouldn’t or if there are known sources of lead in your pet’s environment. Your dog’s vaccine history is also important for ruling out other conditions that may have similar symptoms, such as distemper or rabies. 

The diagnosis can be confirmed by measuring levels of lead in the blood. The veterinarian will also want to take blood and urine samples to check on the dog’s overall health. Some changes on these panels, such as increased numbers of red blood cells that still have a nucleus, can suggest lead poisoning. 

Abdominal X-rays may be recommended to check if there is a lead-containing object in the gastrointestinal tract. 

Treatment of Lead Poisoning in Dogs

If the source of the lead is in the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, it will need to be removed. This either involves surgery or endoscopy. If the object is still in the stomach, vomiting may be induced. 

The other main focuses of treatment are decontamination, which aims to stop more lead from being absorbed, and chelation therapy, which aims to bind lead so that it’s excreted from the body as waste. 

Decontamination may include: 

• Flushing out the stomach (lavage) 

• Giving enemas 

• Giving activated charcoal (not as effective for lead) 

• Giving magnesium sulfate by mouth 

Examples of chelators that may be used in dogs with lead toxicosis include: 

• Succimer given by mouth or rectum every eight hours for 10 days 

• Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaEDTA) given under the skin every six hours for two to five days (diluted in a dextrose solution) 

• Dimercaprol given as an intramuscular injection every six to eight hours for two days 

• Penicillamine given by mouth every six to eight hours for one to two weeks 

Most chelators are toxic to the kidneys, so regular checking of kidney values is important. Damage to the kidneys can be permanent. Succimer is the chelator of choice because it is the least toxic to the kidneys of the options listed here. 

Dogs who are having seizures will also need anticonvulsant medications. Seizures will usually be managed in the clinic with injectable diazepam or midazolam. If seizures continue after discharge, your dog may be prescribed oral phenobarbital or another anticonvulsant to use at home. 

Recovery and Management of Lead Poisoning in Dogs

Dogs who have severe signs of lead poisoning or who have had signs for a longer period are more likely to have a poor prognosis. Dogs who have recovered do not tend to have long-lasting neurologic effects.  

Your dog’s blood lead level may be remeasured within two weeks after stopping chelators to ensure the levels aren’t rebounding because of lead released from the bones. If this occurs, your dog will be re-dosed with chelators.  

Because most cases of lead poisoning in dogs come from the home and yard, you’ll also need to take steps to prevent re-exposure by decontaminating the environment if possible. It’s important to remove access to lead-containing items.  

Prevention of Lead Poisoning in Dogs

Most cases of lead poisoning are from eating or licking lead-based paints. If your home was built before 1977 and you plan to remodel, make sure to keep your dog away from potentially contaminated soil and debris. You can also avoid the risk by moving into a home built after 1977. 

Do not feed the raw meat or scraps of a hunted animal to your dog. You should also remove access to other sources of lead, such as fishing weights.