Cadernos Lab. Xeolóxico de Laxe ISSN: 0213-4497 Coruña. 2001. Vol. 26, pp. 564-477

Description of pathological conditions in the skeleton of an adult male brown Ursus arctos from the Cantabrian range of mountains (Reserva Nacional de Caza de Riaño, León) Patologías óseas en un esqueleto de Oso pardo macho adulto de la Cordillera Cantábrica (Reserva Nacional de Caza de Riaño, León)

PINTO, A. C.1 & ETXEBARRÍA, F.2

AB S T R A C T

In this paper we describe with detail the pathological conditions found on the skeleton of an adult male brown bear from the Cantabrian Mountains. This specimen shows a great number of pathologies, some of infectious origin and others of traumatic origin, as well as pathologies such as caries. We discuss the possible aetiology of the lesions, deve- lopment and consequences, as well as how they did affect the living animal and its sur- vival opportunities. (1) Palaeontology Department, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Rd. London SW7 5BD, UNITED KINGDOM (2) Antropología, Sociedad de Ciencias Aranzadi, Alto de Zorroaga s/nº Donostia. SPAIN 466 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001)

INTRODUCTION (León). It has a very great number of rele- vant pathological conditions, some of are generally big-sized animals traumatic origin, some of infectious ori- and have few natural enemies. A wound gin, throughout the skeleton, chiefly bear therefore has good chances of recove- affecting the functioning of the vertebral ring from trauma or disease without being spine, pelvis and limb elements as descri- meanwhile attacked. The lack of natural bed. enemies also implies that many of these animals can reach advanced ages, favou- ring the quantitative as well as qualitative DESCRIPTION OF THE PATHOLO- increase in pathological conditions. GIES The literature dealing with skeletal This is the complete skeleton of a pre- diseases in the extinct cave bears is very sent day brown bear, an adult male with a rich. This is due to the very many fossils of cementum age of 20±2 years (J. Seijas, this recovered in caves throughout pers. comm), and therefore a very old bear Europe, many of them displaying specta- by modern Cantabrian Mountains stan- cular pathological conditions. On the dards. The skeletal remains of this speci- other hand, the literature dealing with men show grave lesions, that have affected skeletal conditions on present day brown to its locomotion and general quality of bears is much more scarce, as these ani- life. Below we describe all the alterations mals do not use limestone caves as inten- observed in each one of the skeletal ele- sively as cave bears did, and therefore their ments. Almost all of them suffer from remains are, more frequently than not, anomalous conditions, in greater or sma- lost. ller degree. When thinking on the ecological implications of skeletal condi- tions, we can only use as comparation our present knowledge of its extant counter- Mandible part, the brown bear or other temperate • Lost post-mortem: Right M2, left M3, modern bears, in order to make inferences. right P1 and right and left I1. It is therefore important to create a log of • Lost intra-vitam: Left I2. Advanced information on present day bear patholo- alveolar resorption. gies. • Alveolar resorption affecting the In this paper we describe in detail the external wall of right M3 and left pathological conditions found in the ske- M2 leton of a present-day brown bear Ursus • The enamel of the crown of the cheek arctos from the Cantabrian range of moun- teeth is completely worn, and secondary tains in N. Spain. This specimen is kept in dentine protects the pulp cavity the Centro de Recuperación de Animales • Caries: Affecting distally the right Silvestres (Valladolid), and was found dead M2 and M3, and also to the left M2 at the Reserva Nacional de Caza de Riaño • Intra-vitam breakage of the canine CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 467 teeth, probably in events related with sexual competition. The stumps appear very rounded. The pulp cavity is exposed. Dorsal vertebrae • The temporo-mandibular joint shows eburneation. These vertebrae (14) are affected in varying degrees by eburneation of the arti- Maxilar cular surfaces, rings of osteophytes along the edges and exostoses. These exostoses • Post-mortem loss of right P3, left P1 acquire great size from the 6th vertebra and left I1. downwards, affecting the anterior surface. • Intra-vitam loss: Right I1. The alve- Vertebrae 7t h, 8t h and 9t h are fused olus has been resorbed and there is a fistu- through great exostoses and calcifications lae discharging towards the nasal bone in its anterior area. The body of vertebra 9 between I1 and I2. is greatly disfigured. The anterior exosto- • Resorption of the external wall of the ses and articular osteophytes appear alveoli affecting right M2. through till the last vertebra, very modi- • Right M2: loss of oclusal enamel and fied also with de-calcification and anoma- caries lous disorganised new bone production. It • Agenesia right P1 appears also fused to the first lumbar ver- • Fistulae at the root of right M1, dis- tebra. charges towards bucal • Right canine has an intra-vitam brea- Lumbar vertebrae kage of the cusp and resorption of the external wall of the alveolus as well as The first lumbar vertebra appears some signs of periodontal pathology. almost entirely fused with the last dorsal • There are also some lesions with vertebra. Exostoses and disorganised bone bone resorption in the palate. formation affect the 1st and the 2nd lumbar • The enamel in all molars has been vertebrae. The three last ones have also entirely worn down exposing the pulp exostoses, although of smaller size. cavity, which appears protected by secon- dary dentine. Tail vertebrae The three first ones show abundant Cervical vertebrae great sized exostoses (21x12x4 mm.). Las three last ones do not show lesions. Around the articular surface of the atlas there is a complete circle of oste- Scapula ophytes. The axis is in a comparatively good condition. The next five cervical ver- The right scapula shows an osteochon- tebrae also show osteophytes and exostoses droma, eburneation that exposes the along the antero-distal edge. spongy bone tissue and osteophytes in the 468 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) articular surfaces. It also has an intra-vitam The edges of the distal articulation in rip on the blade, that appears healed the left radius show an incipient circle of without infectious processes and without osteophytes. The left ulna shows oste- production of new bone. ophytes surrounding the distal articula- tion. Humerus Carpal and metacarpal The right humerus has an eburneation in the inner proximal articular surface. It The carpal bones of the right hand shows also a great circular exostose (11 show an intense wear and eburneation of mm. diameter) in the middle of the arti- the articular surfaces, leading to the gene- cular surface and circle of osteophytes ral loss of bone mass and to the formation along its inner edge. Distally the humerus of rows of osteophytes. The metacarpal shows great wear of the joint and pseudo- bones have similar pathologies. The 1st articular surfaces produced by the intense has distally a healed fracture, a fistulae and pathologies affecting radius and ulna, osteophytes. The second one seems to have explained below. also a healed fracture, as well as anomalous The left humerus shows in the proxi- bone production on the diaphysis and mal articulation eburneation and oste- exostoses, that extend to the remaining ophytes. Probably to compensate the great metacarpal bones. The 4th metacarpal has lesions in the right side, the muscular exostoses in proximal. insertion appears very developed. The dis- The carpal bones of the left arm are tal articulation has a circle of osteophytes, bigger and have great osteophytes, that not so developed. The diaphysis of the left affect also the metacarpal bones. The 1st humerus is notoriously wider and stronger left metacarpal shows crushing, exostoses, than that of the right arm. As we will see, osteophytes around articular surfaces and the left arm is the only healthy limb this pseudo-arthrosis in mid diaphysis. The animal had. remaining metacarpal bones are affected by osteophytes in varying degrees at the Radius and ulnae joints and exostoses at the diaphysis..

The right radius and ulnae appear Falanges crushed or with multiple fractures affec- ting both bones. These are old fractures The articular surfaces in the right hand with formation of new bone tissue, that falanges are circled by osteophytes, have fuses both bones. They appear very distor- exostoses in the diaphysis, eburneations ted and their functionality must have been and arthritic deformations. The 3rd falan- very limited. This lesion affects the tota- ge of the 2nd finger is distally anomalous. lity of both bones and plays also a role in The 3rd finger has two falanges fused in an the deformations suffered by the proximal anomalous position. The 5th finger has an and distal joints and by adjacent bones. amputation in the first falange, with new CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 469 bone growth over the stump. The fingers also exostoses in the diaphysis, in the mus- of the left hand have similar alterations. cle insertion area and in the articulation with the fibula. The right fibula shows Innominate also amputation of the distal third and anomalous bone production covering its Luxation of the left innominate, that whole surface. has then formed a secondary sub-articula- The left tibia has osteophytes around tion with great proliferation of newly for- the proximal articulation, exostoses and med bone that grows disorganised sugges- alterations in the articulation with the ting an infectious. The right side appears fibula. The left fibula shows pseudo-arth- relatively healthy, and the innominate rosis in the diaphysis. Distally, the head keeps its general symmetry. has a healed fracture with new bone for- mation forming lobes. Femur Calcaneum, astragalus and tarsal The right femur head has eburneation (left) with wear discovering spongy bone tissue. Distally, osteophytes in the articulation Both show eburneation and bone for- with the tibia. The diaphysis show in pos- mation, osteophytes around articular sur- terior a great development of lobular exos- faces and exostoses affect these bones. toses, probably result of the ossification of the muscle insertions. Tibia and fibulae Metatarsal and falanges (left) show amputation of the distal third. The left femur shows bone degenera- The five are kept, and they show the tion and resorption and loss of bone mass following alterations: anomalous bone for- and shape at the femur head, possibly due mation as lines of osteophytes, exostoses, to an infectious process associated to the decalcifications, eburneations, sindes- great lesions in the innominate, descried mophytes, fistulas and infectious osteo- above as luxation. Dorsally the diaphysis mielitis. The falanges have similar arthri- shows new bone in formation. tic alterations in lesser degree.

Rotulae Ribs Both rotulae have osteophytes around The 14 right ones have osteophytes the articular surfaces. and deformations in the proximal area. Eburneation, osteophytes, arthrosis and Tibiae and fibulae healed fractures are also present. As for the 14 left ribs, 4 have osteophytes and defor- The right tibia shows amputation of mations in the articulation with the verte- the distal third, with bone formation as brae. One has a healed fracture with ano- lobular exostoses in the stump area. It has malous bone formation. 470 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001)

Penis bone infections, and are not an age triggered degeneration. Healed fracture As for the healed baculum fracture, this is a relatively frequent lesion produ- CLASSIFICATION OF THE PATHO- ced in the heat of mating, and is of no con- LOGIES: TRAUMA VERSUS INFEC- sequence for bears. TIONS Therefore, and summarising, the main traumatic lesions suffered by this speci- The lesions descried have two origins: men were: traumas or infections. Both can be related, a) Ripping of the right scapula with when the soft tissues get an infection and osteolysis transmit it to the bones through the b) Polytraumatic "catastrophic mem- blood. ber" right forearm. c) Traumatic amputation of right tibia Traumatic pathologies and fibula, with a well healed stump, affecting the ability to move. These affect to the front right limb and d) Double fracture of the left fibulae to the bones in both legs. The right sca- with pseudoarthrosis of the most proximal pula has a breakage which is a direct trau- fracture. ma. Although there is no bone formation in this wound, this trauma could have affected to soft tissues around the scapula. Infectious pathologies An infectious process started then, and There is an infectious process affecting manifests itself in the vertebral spine. sectors of the vertebral spine, producing The right forearm shows alterations the fusion of some vertebrae and the consistent with several traumatic lesions almost complete disintegration of others. –crushing or multiple fractures- affecting While the affected ones are very much the whole of radius and ulnae. Healed altered, the ones out of the affected zones fractures can be seen that affect to both appear normal and healthy. diaphysis, now fused and shortened. The anomalies concentrate in two The right leg has a traumatic amputa- spots: there is a great decalcification and tion of part of the tibia and fibula. This complete fusion of the 7th and the 8th amputation does not appear to have been through great exostoses that affect also the infected. Doubtless it has affected the abi- 9th with a great distortion of the body. lity to move of this animal, that in its The second area with important altera- movements had to rely strongly in the left tions goes from the 12th dorsal vertebrae leg and arm. The left leg shows a double to the 1st lumbar, that appears greatly dis- fracture of the fibula. The proximal frac- torted. ture never re-fused and there is a pseudo- The infectious process can be detected arthrosis. The bones of hands and legs also in the left innominate and proximal have lesions which are consistent with femur. It could be therefore a septic arth- CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 471 ritis, infectious process that has produced opposed to the exuberant formation of a proliferation of bone in the left innomi- new bone in Neiburger’s specimen. After nate as well as a very important resorption finding treponema antigens in a sample in the femur head. This process has closed from this bear, they proposed alternatively the major sciatic scooping. that it was treponematosis or syphilis The symmetry between the right and what was causing these lesions. Neiburger left side of the pelvis, the lack of disorga- however answered that the formation of nisation or disharmony in the general new reactive bone is not incompatible structure, and the conservation of all the with tuberculosis (N E I B U R G E R & skeletal elements suggests that this is not TURNBULL, 1990). The fact that the a healed fracture of the innominate, with scientific magazine Nature echoed twice an open wound and an infectious compo- this debate, is a reflect of the interest arou- nent, but that the infection arrived here sed by the origins of a disease as syphilis. from a focus placed in other lesion in the In a subsequent paper, ROTHSCHILD body, through the blood stream. et al. (1993) analyse bear collections of every genus in several museums, and they POSSIBLE AETIOLOGY OF THESE diagnose them with spondiloarthropaty. PATHOLOGIES They consider first rheumatoid arthritis, but dismiss it because of the lack of reac- The particular disposition of the infec- tive tissue; then consider tuberculosis and tious lesions reminds of the developmen- dismiss it because of the distinct appea- tal mechanism of tuberculosis in human rance of the new bone. There is only then being. In men, Pott’s disease lodges itself left arthritis, be it psoriasic or be reactive. in the 12th dorsal vertebrae, inserted in The first has not been documented in the hideosoas muscle, responsible for the bears, and therefore the only option left is upward movement of the thigh. The reactive arthritis of sexual transmission. infection gets into this muscle, from Although the argument till here is inte- which it spreads to its distal insertion resting, then the authors put this into point, in the lesser trochanter of the relation with baculum fractures, which femur, entering from underneath the left leaves us short of an entirely satisfactory innominate, and producing the infection answer to this problem. and subsequent alterations in this bone. A biomedical analysis of a sample from This similarity with how this disease the Riaño bear with this orientation will develops in human beings suggested doubtless yield data relevant in this con- NEIBURGER (1984) his interpretation text. Antigen as well as DNA studies will of the pathologies observed in a specimen allow to determine whether this specimen of extinct fossil bear (Arctodus simus) . has been affected by any of these two dise- Other workers dismissed this diagnosis ases. (R O T S C H I L D, 1988; R O T S C H I L D & In the meantime, the great abundance TURNBULL, 1987), because of the lack of grave traumatic lesions in the Riaño of new bone formation in tuberculosis as bear, that compromise the functional sta- 472 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) bility of the animal, can suffice to explain by our collaboration with the Fundación the sequence of later lesions. For example, Oso Pardo in the ellaboration of the if this animal lost a leg to a poacher’s Catálogo de Osos Cantábricos. Dr. Naves leash, as it does happen to bears in the gave notice of this specimen, the Servicio area, will later be more liable to falling de Vida Silvestre (Valladolid) authorized down, and generally be more liable to fur- this study and lent instalations and radio- ther damage. graphy facilities. Domingo Villalba, tech- nical staff at C.R.A.S. (Valladolid) kindly ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS helped us in various ways during our repe- ated visits to the centre. Dr. F. Pastor This research has been made possible (Facultad de Medicina, Valladolid) radio- by a grant from the Fundación para la graphed these bones for us, helping also in Investigación, Ciencia y Te c n o l o g í a photographing them. We are grateful to (FICYT) del Principado de Asturias, and all of them for their help.

Figure 1. Caries.

Figure 2. Fistulization towards nasal. CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 473

Figure 3. Diagram of the skeleton showing all the areas affected by pathologies in this specimen.

Figure 4. Cervical vertebrae with osteophytes Figure 5. Dorsal vertebrae intensely altered. and exostoses. 474 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001)

Figure 6. Dorsal vertebrae with pathologies. Radiograph.

Figure 7. Rip in the right scapula. CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 475

Figure 8. Right radius and ulnae, wich together form a "catastrophic limb'.

Figure 9. Right radius and ulnae. Radiograph. 476 PINTO & ETXEBARRÍA CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001)

Figure 10. Left area of the innominate bone, articulation with the femur head.

Figure 11. Radiograph of the innominate: great new bone formation in the innominate, and bone resorption in the femur head. CAD. LAB. XEOL. LAXE 26 (2001) Description of pathological conditions 477

REFERENCES

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