Treatment of lead toxicity in calves

Thiamine hydrochloride alone or in combination with calcium edetate (Ca-EDTA) was used to treat experimentally-induced lead toxicity in calves. In 12 calves lead toxicity was induced by po administration of 5 mg lead acetate/kg/d until the development of overt signs. The calves were divided into 3 groups: untreated control; thiamine-treated; and thiamine+Ca-EDTA-treated. The use of 25 mg thiamine/kg sc twice daily cured 2/4 calves, whereas 4/4 calves recovered with 25 mg thiamine+110 mg Ca-EDTA/kg iv twice daily. Lead concentrations in blood and tissues were significantly lower and histopathologic lesions were less pronounced in the treated calves. Treatment with thiamine+Ca-EDTA was more effective than the use of thiamine alone.