Dinosaurs and Disease
Rex Fan 684
MemberCompsognathusJune 28, 20131332 Views6 RepliesOne thing that few think about is dinosaurs and diseases. Disease in dinosaurs is actually quite rare. These animals seem to have been pretty healthy. But diseases did occur. Once example is a Lambeosaurus that had a dental abscess. Two Iguanodon skeletons show osteoarthritis. This is also known as degenerative joint disease. Even the king, Tyrannosaurus, got sick on occasion. Some specimens show signs of gout, an extremely painful disease. This happens when you eat too much red meat. That would have been hard for T-rex to avoid. Some Rex skeletons show signs of an infection in the lower jaw. The holes left behind tell the tale. Dinosaurs likely had to deal with certain cancers as well, although there is no hard evidence to support this.
[img]http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2009/09/rex-sores.jpg[/img]
Image illustrating infection in Tyrannosaurus' lower jaw. Once thought to be bite marks from another Rex.
Any dino-diseases you guys have heard about that I did not list? Post em if you do, comment if you don't.
"Men like me don't start the wars. We just die in them. We've always died in them, and we always will. We don't expect any praise for it, no parades. No one knows our names."
―Alpha-98
