{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,5]],"date-time":"2025-11-05T11:32:34Z","timestamp":1762342354439,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"14","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,17]],"date-time":"2024-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1721174400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Severe musculoskeletal disease characterized by marked joint laxity was the cause of euthanasia in two wild juvenile American black bears (Ursus americanus) admitted to a rehabilitation facility in eastern Tennessee in 2023. Previously, almost all reported musculoskeletal diseases in this population were of traumatic etiology, even in malnourished yearlings. Case 1 was an orphaned 11-month-old male cub exhibiting disproportionate dwarfism, progressive immobility, and joint laxity. Necropsy findings suggested either chondrodysplasia or rickets, and imaging findings supported a skeletal dysplasia. Case 2 was a 14-month-old emaciated male yearling exhibiting joint laxity and immobility. Necropsy findings showed osteoporosis and serous atrophy of fat, and imaging findings were inconsistent with a skeletal dysplasia. Both cases were clinically inconsistent with rickets based on normal calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid hormone concentrations; however, Case 1 had hypovitaminosis D (9 nmol\/L) compared to healthy juvenile black bears. We hypothesize that Case 1 had a genetic chondrodysplasia while the osteoporosis of Case 2 was due to chronic malnutrition. The goal of this case report is to inform wildlife agencies and facilities to monitor for similar, non-trauma-related debilitating musculoskeletal disease in free-ranging bears and evaluate cases that allow us to further understand the disease processes involved.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14142088","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,17]],"date-time":"2024-07-17T12:29:43Z","timestamp":1721219383000},"page":"2088","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Debilitating Musculoskeletal Disease in Two Free-Ranging Juvenile American Black Bears (Ursus americanus)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Isabella C.","family":"Fahrenholz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9075-2032","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Michelle M.","family":"Dennis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Federica","family":"Morandi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1813-2197","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Keren E.","family":"Dittmer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, NZ 4410, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2813-3027","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Julie D.","family":"Sheldon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"575","DOI":"10.7589\/JWD-D-21-00191","article-title":"Morbidity and mortality of FREE-ranging american black bears (Ursus americanus) undergoing rehabilitation in Eastern Tennessee, USA, 1996\u20132021","volume":"58","author":"Sheldon","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. 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