Chronic lead ingestion and nephropathy in ringed turtle doves

Effect of lead ingestion on concentrations of lead in tissues and eggs of laying Tsaiya ducks in Taiwan

This experiment was conducted to investigate Pb concentrations in soft tissues and eggs from laying Tsaiya ducks (Anas platyrhynchos var. domestica), dosed via gelatin capsule with 10 or 20 mg Pb/kg BW daily for 3 mo. Body weights of ducks were not influenced by Pb treatment. In addition, no clinical syndromes involving Pb intoxication were found throughout the experiment. The two levels of Pb consistently resulted in increases in the Pb content of blood, kidney, liver, and gizzard, whereas only 20 mg Pb/kg BW per d of dose additionally increased the Pb in femoral muscle. More Pb was deposited in the kidney and liver after Pb exposure than in the gizzard or femoral muscle. Lead residues in yolk and eggshell from Pb-dosed ducks were significantly higher than in controls; however, Pb in albumen was generally low and was not influenced by Pb treatment.

Histologic and ultrastructural lesions of mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) poisoned by lead shot

Studies were conducted in which mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were administered lead shot, and their tissues were examined by histology and their kidneys were examined by electron microscopy. Doves that ingested four number 8 lead shot and were sacrificed 4 days later had highly elevated lead concentrations in kidney and had acid-fast intranuclear and acid-fast intracytoplasmic inclusions in the cells of the proximal convoluted tubules. Hemosiderin loading was present in the liver as was elevated concentrations of lead in liver. Doves that ingested either four or eight number 8 lead shot and were sacrificed 9 days later had elevated lead concentrations in liver, and hemosiderin loading was present. Acid-fast intranuclear inclusions were present in the proximal convoluted tubule cells. Kidney lead was highly elevated and cellular degeneration was evident with electron microscopic examination.