title: Lead intoxication in dogs: risk assessment of feeding dogs trimmings of lead-shot game.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Expanding lead-based bullets, commonly used for hunting of big game, produce a scattering of lead particles in the carcass around the wound channel. Trimmings around this channel, which are sometimes fed to dogs, may contain lead particles. The aim of this study was to assess potential health effects of feeding dogs such trimmings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lead ingestion most commonly causes gastrointestinal and neurological clinical signs, although renal, skeletal, haematological, cardiovascular and biochemical effects have also been reported. Experimental data indicate that a daily dose of around 1 mg lead as lead acetate/kg body weight for ten days may be considered as a Lowest Observed Effect Level in dogs. Acute toxicity documentation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates 300 mg/kg body weight as the lowest dose of lead acetate causing death in dogs after oral ingestion. Our assessment suggests that dogs fed trimmings of lead-shot game may be affected by the amounts of lead present, and that even deadly exposure could occasionally occur. The intestinal absorption of lead from bullets was assumed to be 10-80 % of that of lead acetate, reflecting both the variability in particle size and uncertainty about the bioavailability of metallic lead in dogs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite data gaps, this study indicates that feeding dogs trimmings of lead-shot game may represent a risk of lead intoxication. More research is needed to assess the exact consequences, if lead-based bullets are still to be used. Meanwhile, we recommend that trimmings close to the wound channel should be made inaccessible to dogs, as well as to other domestic or wild animals.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Helga R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Høgåsen
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research (NIFES), P.O. box 2029, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ørnsrud
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. box 4404, Nydalen, 0403, Oslo, Norway. Helle.Knutsen@fhi.no.
authors.forename: Helle K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Knutsen
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. box 750, Sentrum, NO-0106, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Aksel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernhoft
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004285:Dogs; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D005389:Firearms; D005506:Food Contamination; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007854:Lead
keywords: Ammunition; Dogs; Hunting; Lead toxicity; Review