petorama

Ask Yvette

Lead In Drinking Water Might Be A Problem For Pets.

There has been a tremendous amount of media attention to the water we drink lately. On any given day, you can find a story that relates in one way or another.

People who are concerned with contaminants, such as lead, in water, may be choosing bottled water. Some people have filters to purify water in their own home. As someone who works with animals, I thought it would be beneficial to scout around to see if there was any information on how lead affects pets.

There are many places dogs can come into contact with lead. Dogs, especially puppies, are known to eat just about anything. When old lead paint is improperly removed, they may eat flakes. Even dust with strong concentration can be a problem. This is especially important to cats. Since cats groom themselves, they may ingest dust that has accumulated on their fur.

There are other sources of lead, such as fishing accessories, toys, and old plumbing material. Lead is in a frightful number of places. And it seems that lead is in some people's tap water. Most dogs drink tap water, not bottled water.

But even if you do have a filter system, or if you drink bottled water, you may still be consuming lead. Only some filters remove this contaminant. My understanding is that the bottled water industry is unregulated. Just because your bottle has a picture of a mountain, doesn't mean it comes from one. The City of London and the Middlesex London Health Unit has provided some good information on filters that will work effectively. Buy bottled water carefully.

Pets can become ill from lead. If your pet becomes ill, and if you have any reason to suspect lead as a possible contaminant – tell your veterinarian. If you have been doing renovations on an older home, that could be important information. If you live in a home where water might be contaminated, that is important too.

The symptoms vary. Young puppies and kittens, just like young children, are far more susceptible to the effects of lead. What are some of the possible symptoms?

You may see behavior changes. These may include aggression, lethargy, seizures, snapping, phobias, tremors, circling, and fear behaviors. Lead affects the brain. You may also see changes a dog's eating habits. In cats, you may see that the animal is not eating, has diarrhea or is suffering from seizures.

These symptoms obviously can have more than one possible cause. If your pet shows signs that they are ill, a veterinarian can make a diagnosis. But, it is helpful when your veterinarian has as much information as possible. If you suspect that lead may have made it's way into your pet's body, then tell them.

Water is essential for life. Clean water is essential for a healthy life. This is also true for our companion animals. Behavior consultants can make a difference in the lives of dogs with behavior problems, but they cannot fix medical problems. Aggression due to lead toxicity is a veterinary problem, and another reason why a full medical screen is an important part of any diagnostic protocol.

Yvette is an award winning pet writer and pet behavior columnist. She also is the author of Meeting Milo, a North American dog bite prevention program to reduce the approximately 2 million children bit by dogs annually. She is the owner of AwesomeDogs.ca and works as a behavior consultant in London, Ontario.

This column was originally featured in The Londoner
See more of Yvette... www.awesomedogs.ca
www.meetingmilo.com

Yvette has 2 dogs of her own, KIKI and KAYA. Take a look...

Previous Questions

• Dear Yvette, How do I get my dog to bring the ...
• Dear Yvette, Our puppy Samson has attitude gal...
• Last week, we discussed why many dogs do not under...
• Dear Yvette, My dog will only sit when asked s...
• Holy smokes - but there seem to be more pet food r...
• View All Questions