Haematological Effects of Subacute Lead Exposure in Domestic Rabbits in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria

Lead poisoning resulting from exposure to contaminated feed, water, and soil continues to pose toxicological risks to animals in artisanal mining and industrial communities across Nigeria. This study evaluated the haematological effects of subacute lead acetate administration in domestic rabbits in Lokoja, Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. Thirty New Zealand White rabbits were divided into three groups of ten each: a control receiving distilled water, and two treatment groups administered lead acetate at 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight orally for twenty-one days. Blood samples were collected on days zero, seven, fourteen, and twenty-one for complete blood count analysis. Dose-dependent reductions in packed cell volume, haemoglobin, and red blood cell count were observed in both treatment groups, with the 100 mg/kg group exhibiting values consistent with moderate anaemia by day fourteen. White blood cell counts were initially elevated but declined in the final week of the study. Reticulocyte counts were elevated, indicative of regenerative erythropoietic response. Blood lead concentrations correlated inversely with haemoglobin, consistent with lead-mediated inhibition of haem synthesis enzymes. These findings confirm the haematotoxic potential of lead at environmentally plausible exposure levels and have implications for community livestock health in mining areas of North Central Nigeria. Keywords: lead toxicity, haematology, anaemia, rabbits, Kogi State.