• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.78-87
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• 1997

The study of present study was to determine the valuable laboratory tests for the differential diagnosis of lead poisoning in dogs. Sixteen mongrel dogs were divided into 2 experimental groups (A and B) and a control group (C). The A and B groups were administered orally 2 mg and 20 mg of lead per kilogram of body weight for 49 days, respectively. In addition to clinical observation, blood, urine and hair samples were collected on appointed day and examined for hematological changes, lead content of serum, whole blood and hair, and urinary $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid concentrations. All dogs were necropside on 49th day and examined for the lead content and histological changes of organs. The results obtained were summarized as follows: The group B showed digestive and nervous signs, and weight loss. The group A showed no significant hematological changes except polychromatophilla on the 7th day. But group B showed polychromatophilia as well as mild anemia and nucleated erythrocyte on the 7th and 35th day. Basophlic stippling erythrocytes were observed in some of the group B on the 14th day. The lead content of whole blood was increased significantly in both A and B groups on the 21the day. The urinary $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid content was increased in both A and B groups on the 7th day. The hair lead content of A and B groups was increased significantly on the 49th and 21th day, respectively. The lead contents of organs including liver, kidney, spleen, muscle and bone were increased significantly in group B. Histopathologic changes were characterized by hemorrhages, necrosis and intranuclear inclusion body in the epithelial cells of convoluted tubles of kidney, cloudy swelling and degeneration and/or necrosis of liver, enlargement of Virchow-Robin space, and swelling of endothelial cells and hyperplasia of the pericytes of brain. From these results it may be concluded that examination of nucleated erythrocyte/polychromatophilia, urinary $\delta$ -aminolevulinic acid, and whole blood and hair lead contents is a reliable clinico-pathological diagnostic methods, and that examination of the Virchow-Robin space, endothelial cells and pericytes of brain as well as intranuclear inclusion body in the epithelial cells of convoluted tubles of kidney is valualble postmortem diagnostic methods for lead poisoning in dogs.