Introduction: Lead is a common cause of poisoning of domestic animals throughout the world. Livestock may find lead in rubbish dumps and around farm buildings and machinery. Stock may find sump oil and other sources of lead attractive as lead compounds can have a sweet taste. Among farm animals, ruminants are affected most often by lead toxicity, followed by horses, poultry, and swine. Material and methods: For pathomorphological investigations of experimental lead poisoning, six sheep were taken 1 gm/kg of lead acetate orally and the animals were euthanized after two weeks. Tissue specimens from brain, liver, kidneys, heart and gastrointestinal tract were taken for histopathological examination. Results: The clinical signs included muscle spasms, excessive response to external stimuli, dullness, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and mild diarrhea. At necropsy, there were just hyperemia and edema of the central nervous system with hemorrhagic foci in thalamus.The main histological changes were characterized by perivascular and perineuronal edema, laminar neuronal necrosis, status spongiosus and perivascular hemorrhage in cerebrum; granular degeneration in renal tubules and glomerular endothelial proliferation in kidneys; vacuolar degeneration and single cell necrosis of hepatocytes associated with acid-fast intranuclear inclusion bodies and activation of Kupffer cells in liver and severe hemorrhage between cardiac muscle fibers. Discussion: It is concluded that one high dose exposure of lead can cause acute toxicosis in sheep and lead poisoning should be noted in every central nervous related signs in this species, and its possible cardiac lesions must be considered as well.

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