Re: RC: PCV/dehydration

[Tivers@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/22/00 12:44:43 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
tobytrot@bigfoot.com writes:

<<  The intersting thing (to me) was that the wbc increased 3 to 4-fold (from 
a mean of 7-8 to one one 25-35).  All granulocytes (neutophils)--ie the 
absolute Lymphocyte count remained pretty stable.  I considered this evidence 
of marrow stress (opinions?), perhaps due to the marrow attempting to produce 
more rbcs (in response to increased need for oxygen), but being much slower 
than with wbcs.  (Does that make sense?)  Anyway, question 1) since horses 
can do the splenic thingy to meet increased oxygen debt, how do you relate 
increased hct to dehydration without considering that factor?  Question 2) 
has anybody looked at the wbc picture with horses?  Is it similar? or does it 
not occur?  If it does happen, can anyone think of an application for the 
information?
 
    There--THAT was a lot of help, wasn't it? >>


I'm not seeing anything radical going on with WBCs. And we're doing some 
radical things, so something should have showed up by now. I'l go over the 
reports again.

Oxygen is not a problem in endurance horses. So if there is a bump in WBC, it 
would have to be something other than an oxygen problem. On the other hand, 
top human marathoners run at 80% VO2 Max, so that could be a factor there. 
Endurance horses perform at nowhere near that level--although I've heard it 
said that they are athletically superior to any species on the face of the 
earth--and on Mars, for that matter. 

Splenic contraction does play a part in the hematocrit readings, so you 
almost have to have a history on the horse before concluding much there--but 
total protein adds to the picture for a better indicator.  

ti