Studies on rickets and osteomalacia in Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus)

The pathological changes seen in camels affected with rickets included porous, brittle, light, osteoporotic bones that were susceptible to fractures and had less resistance to cutting and sawing. Wrist joints were enlarged with an apparent bowing of the long bones in forelimb and with typical broadening of the epiphyses. In adult female camels, many enlarged scars were often seen in ribs indicating earlier fractures. The disease could be cured with supplementary bone meal, phosphate or mineral mixtures and in field investigations clinical signs disappeared within 15 days. Over the same period, the concentrations of phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase in blood returned to normal. The disease may be effectively prevented by use of mineral blocks (block salt licks) or dosing orally with copper, selenium and cobalt soluble glass boluses. We conclude that rickets and osteomalacia are mainly caused by phosphorus and copper deficiencies in the pasture.