Experts report that lead content in some municipal water systems is high. This article on human risk begs for a reference about pet risk. It’s not only a problem in cities. Lead also occurs in some rural systems where urban sprawl has created the need to tap old well water and rural water delivery systems.
We offer two references for veterinary hospital teams to consider.
Source: Web MD, January 22, 2016.
You can’t see, smell, or taste lead in water. It can cause permanent damage to the brain and other organs, and it’s most dangerous for kids, whose small bodies are still developing, the CDC says.
Most people know about the threat of lead in old paint. People who buy homes built before 1978 are often warned that chips of old paint might be dangerous if swallowed. But the threat of lead from tap water isn’t as well known.
Source: Pet MD.
Lead poisoning (toxicity), a condition in which increases levels of the metal lead is found in blood, can afflict both humans and dogs through both sudden (acute) and long-term (chronic) exposure to the metal. Through the ability to substitute itself for calcium and zinc (both important minerals for normal cell functions), lead damages the cell and affects normal biological processes.
Although a high number of lead poisoning cases are seen during the warmer months of the year, there is a wide variety of sources of lead — many of which vary between different geographical and ecological locations. Older homes and buildings, for instance, are common sources of lead poisonings, as they can be riddled with lead dust or chips from lead paint.