Without seeing the specimens, of course, there is no way to make a reliable
identification as to the cause of the bony build-up. From what you
describe, it sounds like you have subperiosteal lesions. Subperiosteal
reactive bone can have a tremendous number of causes without any other
information, there is no way to determine which cause would be correct.
Subperiosteal infections can have a variety of causes that include direct
injury to the bone, indirect infection via soft tissue around the bone
becoming infected and the infection spreading to the bone, or there may be a
variety of nutrition or disease related causes. Subperiosteal reactive bone
is a very generalized type of reaction just like having a fever is a
generalized type of reaction that can be caused by many things. Without
more information or being able to see if the pathological bone corresponds
with any known causes or has a structure diagnostic of a cause, determining
what the cause is in general terms (injury, disease, etc.) is problematic,
much less determining specific causes (injury by snare, injury by fighting,
reaction due to a particular illness).
----- Original Message -----
From: "S.L.Newton" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 10, 2001 4:39 AM
Subject: Pathologies to rabbit feet
| Hi everyone,
|
| I am working on a large assemblage of Palaeolithic rabbit bones and have
| found four specimens with pathology. All consist of spongy lumps of new
| bone growth to the shaft of the specimen, three on phalanges and one on
| a metacarpal.
|
| Does anyone know of any diseases affecting the feet of rabbits? Or is it
| more likely to be the result of injuries, perhaps because of fighting or
| being caught in snares ?
|
| Thanks for any ideas,
| Sally
|
| Sally Newton
| Archaeology Dept.
| University of Durham.
|
|