Sacroiliac damage, any success stories to make me more positive?

[be positive]

After 18 months, initial wrong diagnosis, a workup, MRI, operation, careful rehab under veterinary advice etc etc my poor horse was seen today by yet another vet and he was amazed that I had even been told to ride him as he was so lame, he was ridden all last summer, as advised, yet never came sound, I eventually turned him away in frustration and brought in yet another vet.

So we have a likely diagnosis, damage to the sacroiliac, prognosis poor as it is over 18 months since it probably happened, there was other damage which may have initially been a red herring but it was never suggested that anything was wrong above the hock and nothing was investigated higher up , leaving it has not helped but we will be doing all we can now to give him a fighting chance.

Going in next week for a scan, injections and all being well his rehab will start all over again, any positive stories or suggestions on how to help this go as well as possible, please.

Not sure what is on offer as although I suspected the diagnosis the prognosis has left me feeling slightly sick so have not looked in the cupboards yet!

 

[Goldenstar]

My friends competition driving pony had his sacroiliac joint injected he's returned to full competitive work I was surprised I did not expect him to get through it .

 

[CIJ]

My mare pulled a ligament in her sacroiliac, so one side was alot lower than the other side. On vets advice she was sent to a physio who started her on magnetic therapy to make her level and sound and then she advised me on how to bring her back to work. My advice is to take it slowly as I went too fast and she had a relapse but that was 10 years ago and fingers crossed, she has never had any further bother with it. After 1.5 years she was back to full work eventing again.

 

[be positive]

Slowly is not a problem, we did 6 months last year very very slowly, sadly though the sacroiliac injury was missed which is why the prognosis is now poor to return to a competitive life, it is good that yours got back to eventing, gives me hope that he may yet again prove the vet wrong, although I think my vet is trying to be realistic and not raise false hope.

 

[be positive]

My friends competition driving pony had his sacroiliac joint injected he's returned to full competitive work I was surprised I did not expect him to get through it .

Was the pony really bad? if you did not expect him to get through to get back to competitive driving gives me a little hope, I will be pleased if this boy could be comfortable enough to do low level stuff as he just loves jumping and is not really a happy hacker.

 

[Goldenstar]

He was lame and his performance was flat before he became unlevel .
He had regular Physio ( he still does )some rest on anti inflammatories a structured fitness plan and a very gradual to work and finally a return to competition .
With hindsight his conformation was a bit weak in that area so a lot of long reining type stuff is done with him now with a view to strengthening him as much as possible
I have other not so good tales as well but this one did come through .
You need a really good rehab experienced physio on the job along side the vet who needs to be specialist in the area or take advice from a specialist , you need to get your flat work trainer if you have one talking to the Physio so the work plan is really concentrating on building up the right muscles .
The pony had a very very structured rehab meticulously monitored I think that was key in getting him back to full performance in fact I think if anything he's better on the flat now than he ever was .

 

[be positive]

He is probably having steroid injections next week, I have not discussed the actual rehab yet, still letting the diagnosis and prognosis sink in, I have a good physio on board, the rehab is likely to be a repeat of what was done last year, working to build up his strength and muscle, lots of hacking, pole work etc.
It is just so frustrating that this was not even considered despite me constantly saying he was not right, looked in pain rather than just weak and lacking muscle due to the extensive box rest, hopefully the vet now involved will listen rather than ignore the owner when they say the horse is not itself.

 

[showpony]

Are you having him bone scanned to figure out extent of damage?

He is probably having steroid injections next week, I have not discussed the actual rehab yet, still letting the diagnosis and prognosis sink in, I have a good physio on board, the rehab is likely to be a repeat of what was done last year, working to build up his strength and muscle, lots of hacking, pole work etc.
It is just so frustrating that this was not even considered despite me constantly saying he was not right, looked in pain rather than just weak and lacking muscle due to the extensive box rest, hopefully the vet now involved will listen rather than ignore the owner when they say the horse is not itself.

 

[be positive]

No the vet feels it not necessary, we know exactly how the injury happened and when, insurance was spent a long while ago looking in the wrong place, doing MRI's etc., so we will be doing what we can using ultra sound and nerve blocks for now.
I am not sure after his last experience in hospital that I will be happy leaving him anywhere again so a bone scan will have to be absolutely essential before it is considered.

 

[Goldenstar]

I hope it goes well for you both.

 

[TheHairyOne]

I can give some experience from a few months down the line from you, and mine includes 8 months undiagnosed and looking at feet/hocks and not really being listened to. Don't know what he did to himself, but his symptoms came on over night, so was obviously an accute injury.

Finally had the steriod injections 2.5 months ago. Brought very slowly back into work, with the first 3 weeks on bute (reducing week on week) to make sure that he was as relaxed as possible.

Is now cantering out hacking and w/t in the school and sound, but crooked. His was all on the right hand side and having spent so long like that I am not surprised at all. However, this is improving all the time. Have a chiro on the yard who looks at him once every 2 weeks. He lives out 24/7.

Not there yet, but I am cautiously hopefull with the constant and continuous improvements that if he doesn't jump again (my choice not his as I had to drag him off one of our fences out hacking last week!) that he will show no issues and carry on playing dressage with me. Vet seems to agree.

Hope your horse comes right. At least you are now able to treat the right thing.

 

[be positive]

I can give some experience from a few months down the line from you, and mine includes 8 months undiagnosed and looking at feet/hocks and not really being listened to. Don't know what he did to himself, but his symptoms came on over night, so was obviously an accute injury.

Finally had the steriod injections 2.5 months ago. Brought very slowly back into work, with the first 3 weeks on bute (reducing week on week) to make sure that he was as relaxed as possible.

Is now cantering out hacking and w/t in the school and sound, but crooked. His was all on the right hand side and having spent so long like that I am not surprised at all. However, this is improving all the time. Have a chiro on the yard who looks at him once every 2 weeks. He lives out 24/7.

Not there yet, but I am cautiously hopefull with the constant and continuous improvements that if he doesn't jump again (my choice not his as I had to drag him off one of our fences out hacking last week!) that he will show no issues and carry on playing dressage with me. Vet seems to agree.

Hope your horse comes right. At least you are now able to treat the right thing.

This sounds similar to mine, sudden onset not being picked up on, mine is the right side also, 2.5 months to be doing some schooling sounds good to me, my boy may have to accept dressage as an alternative to jumping, not sure he will approve but he may have no choice in the matter, hope yours continues to improve, thanks for posting.

 

[be positive]

I hope it goes well for you both.

Thank you.

 

[Primitive Pony]

I have one success story - still in the making.. - and one not so successful.

One horse did not respond well to steroids as I think now that they actually weakened the SI joint - very much depends on what's going on in there.

Just had a great result with a different injection - horse had SI problems related to KS, pelvis kept 'dropping', holistic vet has treated it with a form of prolotherapy and he's doing really well since.

Don't think either of these were a specific injury - certainly not acute - so not sure how that relates to what you've got to deal with, but from my own experience, I'd be very wary of steroid injections - although clearly they have worked in many cases.

Hope that helps - do PM me if you want any more details.

 

[Lynsey&Smartie]

Mine hasn't come totally sound despite two lots of steroid injections and rehab but he is sound enough to hack and is happy to do so. He had a month at a rehab yard for hydrotherapy which seemed to help a lot so I would consider that if possible.

 

[maccachic]

My TB did his when he was six with his old owner was turned out for a year then came back to novice level eventing, he didn't have any issues when I had him (didn't compete much) but would hunt hard for up to 3hrs. I did have regular chiro visits for him however he was 15 when I sold him this year.