Scientists from the Swedish Veterinary Academy IVC discovered that saber-toothed cats and ice age dire wolves often suffer from osteochondrosis. Research published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Researchers examined more than a thousand limb bones of Smilodon saber-toothed cats (fatal smile) and over 500 scary wolf limb bones (Aenocyon dirus) of the Ice Age, which lived between 55 and 12 thousand years ago.
In 7% of the bones, they found signs of dissection osteochondrosis. These defects were mainly observed in the shoulder and knee joints. The results could mean that the prevalence of dissection in dogs and big cats thousands of years ago was significantly higher than in modern species.
Dissection osteochondrosis often occurs in modern domestic dogs: its spread was the result of inbreeding. Thus, the high incidence of the disease in dire wolves and smilodons may be a sign of dwindling populations of these animals – they were likely approaching extinction.
Osteochondrosis is a disease that affects the joints of vertebrates, including humans and various domestic animals. It remains unclear whether musculoskeletal problems affect predators’ ability to hunt.
The authors’ conclusions are limited by the fact that the bones studied were found in a single site. Further study of fossils from other regions will help to understand the prevalence of osteochondrosis in ancient animals.
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