Arthritis and Sacroiliac Changes - Anyone got experience

[Theone]

Hi, My horse (who is 11) has just been diagnosed with lower lumbar arthritis of the facet joint (L1-2) and changes in his sacroiliac area. He is in a fair amount of discomfort (as you can imagine) and I just wondered if anyone had any experience of having this in their horse?
I've got Sue Devereux coming out next week, who is a vet/chiropractor/acupuncture specialist and my vet who seems fairly optimistic has said about injecting the areas.
I've dealt with horses with arthritis in the hocks but never had one with it in his back. He's pretty low mileage as well.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks

 

[YasandCrystal]

I have a horse with chrionic sacro illiac dysfunction. I had LOU for him, but sent him to have his sacrum mobilised by a holistic vet. I am pretty sure that he will have changes if not already at least later. I have started feeding him turmeric, linseed and ground black pepper as per the guidance of a vet via the facebook group - Turmeric user group. Turmeric is a very powerful antioxidant and he is moving so much better on it - his trot is noticeably more elevated. My veteran cob mare who has arthritis in her hinds is now so mobile after a few weeks on it that she is a handful to ride. She must be feeling so well and mobile.

I know it seems everyone is recomending turmeric as the wonder herb, but I can really vouch that for my horses it really has been. The horse I hope it will help most is my 4 yr old mare who sadly has aggressive ringbone in one fore fetlock. The best thing is that it is cheap to use and seems to have no contra indications, apart from a livelier horse once they are feeling less stiff.

 

[HeresHoping]

Unfortunately, I haven't got the greatest positive spin on this. Last year (March) I had my TB put down due to SI issues (and mild KS, but it transpired the SI bit came first). We tried to rehab him but he was in so much pain he just turned aggressive and in the end my vet said he should be PTS before he killed me. It transpired that in his previous life as a PtPer, he had obviously had a nasty fall because on autopsy, not only did the SI region show some significant arthritic changes, it showed that the ligaments were a complete mess and that he had once upon a time fractured an ilial shaft and the remodelling was starting to fail. He was 7.

So, in July last year I brought home my new boy, a 7 yo 17hh ISH (I swore no more pure TBs - too much heartbreak). Having totally lost my confidence, despite once upon a time having a fairly successful eventing career before a 20 year break, on the TB (he was a bucking bronco on a mission and had I ever fallen off during one of his 2 minute broncs, he would probably have turned around and finished the job), I was just starting to get my act together with Larry. On 8th November he did a sit down skid in the field. It happened the day my new jumping saddle arrived. To that point I'd done one prelim competition and jumped a few cross poles. We thought (me and the vet) that he'd just pulled a muscle and we'd run a course of acupuncture and give him a few weeks off. At the end of this time he wasn't lame so much as just couldn't get round the corners very well under saddle. And had a very strange action behind in canter every few strides - bunny hops. These of course rang the alarm bells big time.

In Jan we took him to Sue Dyson at the AHT and she declared that he had annihilated (it looked like a crumple zone) his lumbosacral joint. In fact, his sacral vertibrae were offset from the spinal column by a few mm. He has also done his left hind suspensory ligament near the hock. She told me that the best thing to do was PTS and politely refused to medicate, saying it would mask symptoms, it wouldn't alleviate them given where the injury was.

HOWEVER. I got my vet to speak with her and find out what real chance he had of ever being able to be ridden again. Less than 50%, it transpired. Best thing we could do was throw him out for 6 months and see what nature does. He's a real gentleman, and if he only ever hacks again, I'll be happy. But I'm also determined to see whether we could do a spot of dressage (he was an ele horse, and also ready to go Novice eventing) I'm not in a position livery wise to throw him out 24/7. But I'm using the fact he has to come in overnight to try a few things.

He's on the turmeric, freshly ground black pepper and micronised linseed for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties (see the FB page Turmeric Users Group for all info plus a lot of peer reviewed evidence to suggest that it helps arthritic individuals and animals, too).

I'm starting using the ArcEquine unit overnight. In a month or so I'll start leading in-hand; at the moment, his 10 hours in the field with his head down are his exercise. It may or may not work, but where it has worked, it has been nothing short of miraculous. They have an FB page and a website with these wonder stories on. There are some good stories here.

I get my physio to give him a really deep massage every four weeks. This to help relieve the stresses and strains of having to carry himself in a way that will support what is effectively a broken back.

His shoes are off to try and grow a set of feet that he feels support him. So he's on a really good barefoot diet to boot, coupled with a bit of glucosamine and MSM.

Thus far, he has been showing us that he's not too sore to prance around the field with his tail in the air and nostrils flared. And actually, the movement is getting quite fluid again. It's hard to believe there's a suspensory issue when he picks up really well with both hinds and hasn't been noddy on the corners. I'm not restricting his space. If it really hurts, he'll stop being an occasional prat. I hope.

Good luck with your boy. I'm sorry about the diagnosis but hope the medication works with him.

 

[Theone]

Thanks, I am kind of expecting differing views and it's interesting reading different cases/experiences.

I'm a bit scared that either he wont come 'right' (as right as he can be with arthritis) and scared that if or when I can or do get on him again that I'm going to be paranoid that I'm causing him discomfort :/ The vet has said that he's seen alot worse and although its not the greatest outcome, it's not the end of the world. However, knowing how difficult it is to get topline on my compact slightly Uneck thoroughbred I'm worried I'm going to be fighting a loosing battle