is lead toxic???
 

Gizzie just chewed up a pencil and swallowed the lead is it toxic? shes only 2.5 lbs so im very worried.

It is very toxic and we have a member whose dog died after swallowing a pencil. Get her to an emergency vet

pencils are made of graphite not lead so your pup should be a-ok

Is she acting ok?? I don't think you have to worry, unless she seems like she is sick-I got this from www.pencils.com

Believe it or not . . .
There's no lead in pencil lead!

The center of the pencil -- known as the writing core -- is made of a nontoxic mineral called graphite.

Graphite came into widespread in the 16th century, following the discovery of a large graphite deposit in Borrowdale, England. As the story goes, a passerby found bits of shiny, black graphite clinging to the roots of a fallen tree. The whole countryside was abuzz with talk about this mysterious mineral, which soon came to be known as "plumbago" or, more commonly, "Blacklead."

Graphite left a dark mark, making it ideal for use by writers and artists. But it was so soft and brittle that it required a holder. At first, sticks of graphite were wrapped in string. Later, the graphite was inserted into wooden sticks that had been hollowed-out by hand! The wood-cased pencil was born.

Lunnasmommas yorkie Starr died after eating a pencil. I would go to the emergency Vet

ok thanks sorry about the 2 post (i posted the same thing twice) could i make her vomit she is acting ok

Question now is graphite toxic?

I know years ago, at work, I got a piece of "led" in my hand. They me to the doc pronto. Doc said it was graphite, and they wouldn't take it out if there was any left.

Now ingesting it, I don't know. Does your city have an emergency vet on call? Can you call and ask them?

I have 2 phone #'s for poision control for dogs, but think they both charge for answers.

1-888-426-4435
1-785-532-5679

Hope this helps anyway.

i wouldn't induce vomiting if she's acting fine.

really? wow. was it due to toxicity or something else?

a good way to get around this is to call poison control for people and ask them if its toxic to dogs. they will call the animal one and you won't be charged. i used to do it all the time at work. hehe

I dont know I assumed it was toxicity. I just read one of her posts where she talked about it

i was thinking maybe the pieces of pencil tore some tissue somewhere along the way out. it would be interesting medically to find out but i don't want to bring up sad memories

I hope that your baby is okay!

Starr died because she swallowed the wood of the pencil. It was actually a pink colored pencil:cry: It got caught in her intestine and blocked it up. By the time the vet finally operated on her (5 days and 1 lb. weight loss later) she bled to death after surgery, after he had us take her home.

If there is any indication that her tummy isn't working right, vomiting, not eating, not pooping, get her to a vet and let them know that she chewed a pencil and what happened to my baby. I'm not saying that your girl is in any danger, if she chewed the wood up really well then it's probably okay, but her size worries me. Starr was a 5 lbs 3 year old adult yorkie. At least call the vet in the morning.

BIG hugs:girl_hug:

i'm sorry to hear about Starr. that's what i was thinking had happened. Either way its horrible. Pencils can splinter off and the pieces of it are more dangerous then the graphite inside.

Something I found... Hope it helps
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Poisons



Pencil lead



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Definition:
This poisoning is caused by ingestion of regular pencil lead.

Alternative Names:
Graphite
Poisonous Ingredient:
Carbon
Graphite

Where Found:
Regular pencils
Note: This list may not be all inclusive.
Symptoms:
Gastrointestinal
Stomach ache
Vomiting
Note: There may be no symptoms.
Home Treatment:
Graphite is relatively nontoxic. Contact Poison Control for further information.

Before Calling Emergency:
Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength, if known)
The time it was swallowed
The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:
They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the person to the hospital. If it is necessary, bring a pencil sample with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room:
Some or all of the following procedures may be performed on the patient:

Observe the patient.
Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis):
Since this chemical is normally nontoxic, recovery is likely.




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Review Date: 4/16/2004
Reviewed By: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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