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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

 

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