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Dear Terry, I think that you are right about that. That is why I didn't use the term myself. The fusion of various vertebrae in a horse spine (sometimes only 2 vertebrae and sometimes many more) does occur and it is very interesting. It may be related to the use of the horse as a work animal, but it may have other causes. Calling it 'ankylosing spondylitis' suggests that we know more about it than we really do. Marsha On Aug 17 2005, [log in to unmask] wrote: >Stephanie's email has opened up a real problem area in animal >palaeopathology, namely the tendency to apply terms from human >palaeopath to conditions in other species that APPEAR to present the >same clinical signs. Ankylosing spondylitis is a quite specific >pathology of the human skeleton, with a particular aetiology. We may see >a similar ankylosis in other species, but really shouldn't be applying >the 'human' terms simply on the basis of similar appearance. That, of >course, begs the question as to what terminology we should use. What do >others think? > >Terry > >*********************************** >Prof Terry O'Connor >Department of Archaeology >University of York >Kings Manor >York YO1 7EP > http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/arch/staff/OConnor.htm >Editor, International Journal of Osteoarchaeology >http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/jhome/5488 > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Analysis of animal remains from archaeological sites >[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marsha Levine >Sent: 17 August 2005 17:09 >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Re: [ZOOARCH] Ankylosing Spondylitis > > >Theo de Jong studied a number of Medieval horse skeletons from Eindhoven > >with this sort of condition. The fusion of the vertebrae was very >extensive. I don't know where/if he has published this material. > >Regards, >Marsha Levine > >On Aug 17 2005, Erik Filean wrote: > >> >> >>In a message dated 8/17/2005 7:30:53 A.M. Central Daylight Time, >>[log in to unmask] writes: >> >> As part of a course on human palaeopathology I ran into a condition >> called Ankylosing Spondylitis. I believe this has been referred to >from >> time to time in animal palaeopathology as well, however the aetiology >of >> the condition in humans was believed to be associated with the tissue >> HLA-B27. There was some debate about whether such a tissue is also >found >> in animals and thus, should we be using this terminology for >conditions >> in animals? The term is often equated with 'bamboo spine', a >description >> also used to describe the ankylosis of the vertebrae in humans, but is >it >> truly the same condition or not? Does anyone have any ideas? >> >> >> >> This is a tough question to answer, because it appears that there is >> no >> consensus as to the cause of the condition in some animals. A few >months >> ago, I had posted here about a case of ankylosing spondylitis in L5-L6 >of >> a 10-year-old male horse from Roman Nijmegen; the responses were >> informative, but not conclusive. In horses, it appears that many >regard >> ankylosing spondylitis as a pathology, albeit one that may appear more > >> frequently and in more advanced states in riding animals or riding >> breeds. Melanie Wilson did point out, though, that the condition may >> serve to reinforce the rear of the spine and has been considered >> desirable in certain breeds of Spanish military horse and their modern > >> descendants. >> >> I've more recently seen another case of ankylosing spondylitis of >> L5-L6 >> in a modern male horse donated to our comparative collection >(University >> of Iowa). I don't know the breed, but the veterinarian who provided it > >> works with many show horses, so it was very possibly another riding >> animal. The animal was comparatively young, though; the mandibular >> canines were erupting at the time of death. >> >>In case they're of any use, here are some archaeological and veterinary >>references for horses: >> >> >> BARTOSIEWICZ, LASZLO, AND BARTOSIEWICZ, GABOR. 2002. "Bamboo spine" in > >> a >> migration period horse from Hungary. Journal of Archaeological Science > >> 29: 819-30. JEFFCOT, L. B. 1978. Disorders of the equine thoracolumbar > >> spine - a review. Journal of Equine Medicine and Surgery 2: 9-19. >> JEFFCOT, L. B. 1979. Back problems in the horse - a look at past, >present >> and future progress. Equine Veterinary Journal 3: 129-36. JEFFCOT, L. >B. >> 1980. Disorders of the thoracolumbar spine of the horse - a survey of >443 >> cases. Equine Veterinary Journal 12: 197-210. JEFFCOT, L. B., AND >DALIN, >> G. 1980. Natural rigidity of the horse's backbone. Equine Veterinary >> Journal 12: 101-8. STECHER, R. M. 1961. Ankylosing lesions of the >spine >> of the horse. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association >138: >> 248-55. TOWNSEND, H. G. G., AND LEACH, D. H. 1982. Relationship >between >> intervertebral joint morphology and mobility in the equine >thoracolumbar >> spine. Equine Veterinary Journal 16: 461-65. Best, Erik >> >> >>"...and those that would not bond with us, we ate." >>- Harry, Third Rock from the Sun - >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > -- Dr. Marsha Levine, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3ER, England phone: +44 (0)1223-339347 / fax: +44 (0)1223-339285 http://www.arch.cam.ac.uk/~ml12/