Re: Dinosaur "Arthritis" Revisited.

["Michael" <tons@ccs.netside.com>]

The fossil record seems to confirm what is "common sense".  That is 
wear and tear arthritis or osteoarthritis in weight bearing major 
articulated joints is relatively rare in dinosaurs.  Old age for humans is 
really 
one half what we see today due to vaccines, hygiene and the miracles 
of modern medicine.  Mostly the former two.  It shouldn't surprise us 
not to see it in animals that likely died before "middle or old age".  
You don't normally see disabling osteoarthritis in pets until they 
are relatively old aged, something animals in the wild don't normally 
make it to.  (I imagine the ages of individual animals of any species generally 
follows a nomal bell curve given enough individuals, especially if 
you throw out the perinatal period).  Of course this 
isn't proof of anything, merely anecdotal.  But it does make sense.
Of course, all you're seeing with fossils is the bone and not the 
cartilage.

Michael Teuton