title: Acute lead toxicosis in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) consequent to ingestion of a lead fishing sinker.
abstract: An adult female harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardsi) stranded in northern California on 25 June 2004, exhibited progressive weakness, disorientation, and seizures, and despite therapy, died within 4 days. On pathologic examination, a lead fishing sinker was in the stomach, and changes in the brain, heart, kidney, liver, lymph nodes, and spleen were supportive of acute lead toxicosis. The diagnosis was made on the basis of concentrations of lead in the sinker (90-98% lead), antemortem whole blood (0.66 ppm), and postmortem tissues (84 ppm, wet weight liver). This first documented case of lead toxicosis in a wild marine mammal demonstrates an additional way in which human fishing activities can harm marine mammals.
authors.affiliation: Anatomic Pathology Service, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA. tszabka@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tanja S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Zabka
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haulena
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Puschner
authors.forename: Frances M D
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Gulland
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Lowenstine
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D046049:Phoca; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary