Sacroilliac/Pelvic Problems

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pintostar

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Just wondering, i have not posted on this web site for a long time but has anyone out there dealt with Svend Kold. My vet cannot sort out my lovely cob and now having spent £5K on him for nerve blocks, xrays and bone scan with no diagnosis he now wants to refer him to Svend Kold. Any info would be greatly appreciated because I so desperately want to fix my beautiful boy. Thanx
 
HI, THANX FOR YOUR REPLY, ITS NICE TO KNOW HE IS A NICE MAN. i DON'T THINK IT'S KISSING SPINE BECAUSE IT STARTED OFF AS CHRONIC HIND LAMENESS BUT ALL TESTING HAS SHOWN NOTHING. i KNOW HE HASN'T GOT OCD, FRACTURED PELVIS, BONE SPAVIN OR BONE CANCER BUT UNDER SADDLE HE JUST DOES THIS REALLY WEIRD THING WITH HIS NECK AND HEAD, IT'S LIKE RIDING A GIRAFFE!! HE STICKS HIS NECK OUT AND TURNS HIS HEAD TO THE SIDE, PARTICULARLLY ON THE RIGHT REIGN AND I'M SURE IT IS TO AVOID PAIN. HE HAS NEVER BUKED, BOTLED OR REARED AND IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO BE TACKED UP AND MOUNTED BUT I'M SURE IF I ASKED HIM TO JUMP HE WOULD....BLESS HIM. HE IS A BIT GRUMPY, ESPECIALLY WHEN PICKING UP HIS BACK FEET, HE THREATENS TO KICK AND THERE IS A LOT OF TAIL SWISHING GOING ON. MY VET IS ADAMANT IT IS A SACROILLIAC ISSUE. HE HAS HAD PHYSIO WHICH INITIALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE BUT NOW NOTHING SEEMS TO HELP. HAS HAD BUTE AND CARTROPHEN INJECIONS AND THESE HAVEN'T HELPED AT ALL. I'M JUST SO DESPERATE TO SORT HIM OUT. HOPE TO TAKE HIM TO SVEND ASAP.
 
Can't give you any info on Sven back specialist I'm afraid. However, I have a similar situation with my cob. She was born here, in the mare I bought from a dealer (BOGOF!) and I've also spent £5K on vets bills trying to find out what is wrong with her. I think it is sacroiliac but the vets said it was suspensory ligaments in her hind leg(s). Her symptoms are that if she is ridden, or lunged/long reined she starts to go crooked, be unwilling to go forward at more than a walk and looks in pain. She had nerve blocks into her sacroiliac and became 100% sound. She finds holding her back legs up for the farrier v difficult and will fall over if she is going bonkers round an arena for instance. I am sure it is not in the back legs.

Could you report back on the results of your next vet examination? I'd be really interested as my little cob is retired at 8 (been retired since 5) and the shame is, she would LOVE to do something as she's a real livewire. TBH though, I'd be grateful just to know WHAT is wrong with her even if nothing can be done. I still can't believe that I've got the only horse in the world with this condition - someone somewhere must know what it is - I've just not been able to find that person!

Good luck with your cob - hope the vet can help you.
 
Hi and thanks for your reply. Of course i will keep you posted on how things go. Murphy has had nerve blocks to fetlock, hock, stifle, hip and sacroilliac joint and he never went sound so think you are maybe doing a little better than me although he doesn't appear to be lame anymore. Like you Murphy is only young (7) and he does have HOYS potential and I really dont want to give up on him and this has been going on since Friday 13th!! June 2008. My vets are just going to try a steriod inj in the pelvis s a last shot before referring to Svend Kold but he needs to loose just a little more weight before the ultrasound machine can see the pelvic bone. He has lost 50kg since November (570kg, now 520kg) on a very strict diet but vet would like him down to 500kg (a very thin cob!!) Will let you know how it goes, just wnat to know weather to retire him or not. Good luck with your cob, keep me posted if you have any breakthroughs!!
 
I've posted in NL but thought I'd comment here too. My mare was diagnosed with an SI problem when she was 5. She is now 10 and had her first foal last year.
When she first showed signs of lameness it was really difficult to see unless you really knew what you were looking for. She was never hoping lame but more unlevel and not tracking up as much on one reain than the other.
I was advised to send her off for full body scan which I did. This was inconclusive but the vet was convinced from her visual signs that she did have a SI issue so gave her a steroid injection into her pelvis.

Slowly she improved. Even now she has days when she is stiff and I'm obsessed with keeping her warm and she has her back treated very regularly.
She has produced a gorgeous foal and I have just started riding her again which five years ago I never expected.
 
That is really interesting because that shows similarities to my boy, although at worst he was very lame (hind and not hopping lame) on hard ground on a short lunge (could barely get round the corner). He will be having that inj in his pelvis soon so now hearing your story I feel a bit more positive about putting him through the 25" needle!! How are you maintaining the issue. My vet has said if the steriod works in his pelvis they can then continue to treat him with drugs that haven't been used for a while...not too sure about the implications of this!! So good your mare is doing well and had a gorgeous foal, hope it continues.
 
In all of these tests did you have his back xrayed? My vet thought it was bone spavins in the hocks...so treated them....that didnt work and the vet was convinced it was sacroiliac but before i let him go stabbing her with more needles I asked for her back to be xrayed. showed she had 7 effected vertebra and the reason she was displaying sacroiliac problems was because she had no topline to help support it!

she never bucked or misbehaved she just didnt go well and didnt track up on her right hind...and in the end she could nolonger collect her canter.

hope you find out whats wrong with your boy, steriod injections didnt work for bridie and surgery was her only option and im so glad i did it!
 
Svend has been treating my mare for the last 6 months after she was kicked and totally shattered her splint bone.
After 6 months box rest I am really hoping that he will give us the green light when we go back for xrays next week!!

Anyway, Svend is a lovely guy, very down to earth and straight talking.

Good luck.
 
Thats weird because initially my vet thought it was bone spavin and treated his hocks with steriods but that made no difference!! Haven't had his back x-rayed but wouldn't the bone scan have shown up something wrong with his spine?? I don't know, I'm getting so blinded by science I can't remember what shows up what anymore but will ask my vet what he thinks of doing x-rays of is back.
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Hi and thanks for your reply. It's good to know he is a nice guy and the straight talking bit really appeals to me. I just want to know one way or the other what to do for my boy. Good luck when you see him next week, hope you get the green light.
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Hi, I haven't tried an oesteopath yet, have had lots of physio though. Vet thinks that it is deep bone and doesn't want any more manipulation until they have got to the root of the problem. Hopefully that is where Svend Kold comes in!!
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Having spent 5hours with Svend on friday, and having him operate on my KS horse I will fully vouch for his fantasticness! (And yes, that IS a word!
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Honestly, if any vet is going to find anything, Svend will. Good luck! x
 
My horse has SI. I was advised to go for scintigraphy as opposed to xrays as it would show up any problems whereas the xrays would only show bone problems and might miss other problems. Plus normal xrays could not identify SI. I am not saying that is fact but that is what I was told.

It sounds as if you have a good vet.
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Hope you get to the bottom of it. I would love to know what Svend advises if it is SI. It is a bit of a minefield in terms of advice.
 
Hi, sorry to hear you've been through the mill with your horse somewhat.

My lad was diagnosed with SI problems in November 2008 at Cambridge vet school following a bone scan. My vet had referred me there as he suspected a pelvic fracture, as did the vet at Cambridge. Ronnie was 3/10ths lame in a straight line, following a couple of very heavy falls in the field.

Bone scan (scintigraphy) showed that there was a hot spot in his left SI joint area. He was medicated with steroid injection into the SI joint, and sent home for 4 weeks' total box rest. He went back to Cambridge after the 4 weeks, trotted up sound and was injected again. He then had another 10 days' box rest and is now being walked out for 20 mins per day. Unfortunately I've bene told he mustn't leap about but that's really all his IS doing, so I think his recovery may not be very good. Nothing much is working to calm him down, so he's trialling something new at the moment!

Good luck getting to the bottom of it. I'm surprised the bone scan didn't show anything up.
 
Hi yeah it's awful, one munite I'm told its spavin, then SI, then lame on the front, referred pain?? God I just dont know anymore.Plus did a show in hand on 28.12.08 and he came 1st in the cob class - judge obviously didn't spot any probs. Will let you know how we get on with Svend, hope he is GOD and can sort this mess out. What are you doing with your horse and the SI issues, I see you are in hampshire like me, maybe we have the same vet??!!
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Hi, thats great to hear that the steriod inj worked for you but not so good about the leaping about in the field. Dont these horses know they should be sensible when they are supposed to be recovering!!

Would love to hear how you get on with recovery as my boy sounds like yours, he spends the day playing with his field mates and bronking around the field, no SI problem or lameness in sight!!
 
When I first had the investigations done I suspected KS. Everything pointed to KS. Scintigraphy showed SI.

I had several options offered.

First, inject with P2G. It is a schlerosing agent and basically it is kill or cure. If the scintigraphy didnt show up a problem then it probably wont be suggested. Plus it is risky and lots of vets wont use it. If it works it is great. If it doesnt, the results can be tragic. As I could still ride my horse I wasnt willing to take the chance.

Second, steroids. These would need to be injected every 4 months.

Third physio and work.

I went for the third option. She had an initial steroid injection which helped to start getting her fit again. Lots of strengthening and correct schooling. She cant have too much time off either as she loses fitness quickly although this is getting better. I also bought a Wow saddle which has helped with her behaviour. She comes in at night in the winter but is out 24/7 in the summer to keep her moving. I also have to keep her weight down as much as I can to avoid compensatory injuries.

Has the physio given you inhand exercises to do?

I have a lesson every week to ensure she is tracking up and working correctly through her back but it is very frustrating and progress is slow.

She hates the pessoa so I dont use it. But others do with success. I also dont use any gadgets. Hacking out can be hard going as again she has to go forward and doesnt like it.

Mind you I never have any problem getting her to halt!
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The most frustrating part is that in many cases the horse just looks and feels lazy! I have to ride with 2 whips. She has to work through. It is a case of being cruel to be kind and it is hard.

This post has reminded me to do some more physio and pole work!
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It really is complex tbh. I think it is a condition which has only been identifiable since scintigraphy has been available. Hence the treatment is a bit hit and miss depending on your vet. Plus all horses are different and you just have to listen to your horse.
In hindsight perhaps I should have gone for the P2G.

Just wait to see what Svend advises.
 
My vet mentioned a drug that is not used anymore as it could have tragic consequences, I think that may be P2G. I'll just have the steroid inj, keep working him long and low using some poles dotted around the school and if after a couple of months it isn't working I'll get the referral. He is kept in at night summer and winter, do you think I should keep him out 24/7 in the summer to maintain movement? He is on a massive diet, was 570kg, now 520 and I must admit he looks better, just wish he would go better. Hope yours continues to improve and if you have any breakthroughs I would love to hear.
 
The key is to build up the topline so that it can support the pelvis. This is why most people will use a pessoa (which I dont like). I bought an equiami but havent really used it. I tend to lunge with a bungie rein, as he cant lean on it (they will tend to lean on the bad side so they dont have to put the weight on the bad leg).

It is a case of being cruel to be kind - it hurts for them to work from behind but that is what you have to do to keep the topline up. Bear in mind that they will never have a perfect topline as they will never truly work from behind.

I made the decision to stop jumping mine as he clearly found it difficult to bascule properly over jumps and would rush everything. However he could still be capable of jumping up to 3ft if I pushed him.

Well fitting tack is essential. Mine drops off a lot unless he is in work 4 times a week (2x schooling, 1 lesson, 1 hack). Luckily I am a saddle fitter so I adjust his saddle to fit him whenever required (he has Saddle Company saddles as I found the serge to be kinder to him rather than harder leather panels).

You also need a good chiro and physio. I have them on a 3 month rotation, so one of them comes out every 3 months.

Hope this is helpful.
 
the equiami is being used in all sorts of rehabilitation including kissing spine and pelvic injury. we used ours to rehabilitate a horse that was upside down but I know it's used at hartpury for KS etc as horses can't lean on it so it gets them working correctly from behind. It is iportant to work them from the floor to let the back muscles come up which they do less well with a saddle & rider on top, good luck and be patient.
 
You just have to try different things. Try your horse out 24/7 in the summer and see how it goes.

I agree about the saddle too. I have a wow which has helped immensely in terms of her bucking but it hasnt helped the lack of forwardness.
 
Sorry to be so thick but what is equami?? Makes sense what you say about no saddle and rider though so I am presuming it is some kind of lunge equipment but obviously not a pessoa. Had my last horse for 20 years with no vet issues and haveing lost hear 8 years ago and just coming back into owning horses again there are a few gadjets and things I have never heard of!! God I am stupid!!
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