CLINICAL COMMUNICATION KLINIESE MEDEDELING

Acute lead intoxication in a pregnant mare

K Kruger^I; M N Saulez^I; J A Neser^II; K Solberg^III

^IDepartment of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Equine Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IIDepartment of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa
^IIIFinal Year Veterinary Science Student, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Lead (Pb) intoxication in horses is usually a chronic phenomenon with clinical signs associated with central nervous dysfunction. This report gives details of a case of acute Pb intoxication in a 9-year-old American Saddlebred mare with severe, progressive and ultimately fatal neurological deterioration. During the 4 days of hospitalisation, clinical signs progressed from intermittent headshaking and depression to severe, continuous, uncontrollable manic behaviour. At autopsy, three grey-coloured, hard metal particles were present in the gastrointestinal tract and subsequently found to contain 2614 ppm Pb. Lead concentrations in the brain, liver, stomach and kidney were 29, 4, 6 and 2 ppm wet weight, respectively.

Key words: cerebral dysfunction, equine, lead intoxication

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Received: October 2007
Accepted: February 2008

* Author for correspondence: E-mail: montague.saulez@up.ac.za