Indirect experimental evidence suggested the possibility that the restoration of blood volume to normal hemorrhage in adult sheep may occur more quickly than in other species that have been studied. To test this hypothesis, we studied unanesthetized chronically catheterized adult female sheep 1-2 wk after splenectomy. An average of 19.6 +/- 1.4% (SE) of their initial blood volume was removed over 10 min. Blood volume restitution at 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 7, 24, and 48 h posthemorrhage averaged 12 +/- 3, 34 +/- 3, 41 +/- 3, 50 +/- 4, 62 +/- 10, 79 +/- 10, and 124 +/- 25%, respectively. Arterial pressure decreased during the hemorrhage and returned to normal within 2 h, whereas venous pressure did not change significantly. No change in blood osmolality occurred. There was a highly significant correlation between blood volume and plasma protein mass (r = 0.98, P less than 10(-6)) during and after the hemorrhage. Thus it appears that the posthemorrhage restoration of blood volume in adult sheep occurs over essentially the same time course as in other species and this appears to be mediated by a restoration of plasma protein mass.