Re: RC: Selenium problem

[Linda Flemmer <bluewolfranch@yahoo.com>]

Julie,

Your horse's spleen sequesters red blood cells (RBC's)
- ie it stores them until they are needed.  As she
becomes more fit over time, her spleen may be able to
sequester a larger volume.  I would NOT stress out
over a packed cell volume of 34!!!  Take the same test
after 30 minutes of HARD work!!!  See what the spleen
pumps out.

The spleen does not make RBC's - that's done by the
bone marrow.  Your horse's tie up should not have
affected her spleen.  Kidneys, maybe... but the vet
would have noted other abnormal labs that would have
alerted him.  I'm sure he would have shared that with
you.

Heidi (one of our resident vets) has shared that low
selenium may not respond to oral supplement until
after a "boost" with injected selenium.  I'd ask her
more about this.  She also has some strong feelings on
which ortion of the blood should be tested for
selenium levels for accurate results.

linda Flemmer
Blue Wolf Ranch
Bruceton Mills, WV

--- Julie Lindeman <rayna777@uswest.net> wrote:
> 
> Jack also said that her pac cell volume was low, 34,
> scale is 35 to 52, and
> that her phosphorous was a little low,
> (and I don't have the actual number, he's sending me
> the whole report)
> 
> So, I have a question.  If the spleen is responsible
> for red cell production
> (?), (and is also a repository for the emergency
> suppy), could it be that
> hers has been damaged badly by the tying up, and the
> red cell problem is
> keeping her from absorbing the Se? Or am I totally
> screwed up on my
> anatomical usage here? (Probably!)
> 
> Anyone have ANY other input here?  I am at wits end,
> trying to do right by a
> damn good horse and nothing seems to be working. 
> There's got to be an
> explaination for all this, and hopefully a way to
> correct it, if it needs
> correcting.
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com