By Tribune News Services
A dog is held by a volunteer after having its blood drawn during a lead screening event held at the Humane Society of Genesee County in Burton, Mich on April 16, 2016.
Humans aren't the only victims of the water crisis in Flint, (click here) as pets also may have been exposed to the toxic lead. An effort coordinated by Michigan State University is now helping dogs get tested.
The school's College of Veterinary Medicine has hosted screening events with professors, students and technicians volunteering to draw blood from dogs. State veterinarian James Averill said 266 dogs have been tested so far, with seven documented cases of lead toxicity.
"I thought the water was OK, and I was giving it to my dogs," said Katie Jobe, a Flint resident who brought Missy and Molly in for testing after discovering spots on Missy's hindquarters.
Flint is under a state of emergency after the city, under state management, switched to using the Flint River but failed to add the proper chemical treatment. Lead from old pipes leached into the water, and people — and pets — were exposed for months before the emergency declaration was made in October.
