Re: RC: spleen

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/8/00 3:33:53 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
carolheard@mcsi.net writes:

<< Some time ago I read an article about how the spleen works like a
 turbo-charger for a horse. Anyone know how that is, how much of
 the horse's blood is stored in it, how long it takes to empty out, how
 long the effects last & how long it takes to replenish....In other
 words,
 anything about the subject? >>

What is stored in the spleen is red blood cells--not whole blood.  With a 
good adrenaline jolt, the spleen can dump red cells into circulation quite 
rapidly--several seconds...  The horse can raise his packed cell volume by 
10-15% or more doing this.  What this does is raise the oxygen-carrying 
capacity of the blood.  I really have no idea how long it takes 
post-excitement for the spleen to gather red cells back up again, so to 
speak--but I'd suspect over a few hours...

Heidi