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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
   
| So have a mare who had a fractured pelvis last year. After 6 months stall rest she could be hand walked for 30 days. She was sound but still had a lot of muscle inflammation. She got cleared for light riding for 20 minutes a day at a walk and trot. . Well after 2 months of light riding she got sore. Took her back in and her muscle inflammation had healed but now via a recal ultrasound her SI has a bone spur and is tipped. Vet wants 6 months off in a small paddock. Im heart broken because her SI was never a concern before and this information is new. I talked to an other vet that was closer and going to do chiro on her while she was laid off and he recommended a bone scan. I'm confused as to why the other vet, who is a lameness specialist wouldn't suggest it. I've never had one done. What else could it show me that a rectal ultrasound couldn't. Which is how the pelvic fracture, psoas muscle inflammation and now si issue was all diagnosed. I understand how a bone scan is done but would it really give me that much more information now that the SI joint and sacrum seem to be involved? Before I go spending 1800 dollars I just thought I'd get other people's experience. Thanks so much for your help. I want to do all I can for this horse because she is my rodeo 1d horse but I'm also looking at the thousands I already put into the situation... I just want to know that it will benefit her.
Edited by WetSaddleBlankets 2017-07-25 7:52 PM
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
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Expert
Posts: 4766
Location: Bandera, TX | I'm so sorry, I've never had any of my horses with pelvis injuries come back. One I had to take to Kentucky years ago and the other to Las Colinas. I would want that SI injected and then have someone that's very good at manipulation to work with your horse physiotherapist that's very skilled in muscle work. My horse that I took to Las Colinas Equine imaging lit up like a Christmas tree. There was so much I tried and to no avail. We found the main spots that were seen in San Antonio by US and then more via the scan. You need to know all locations that was your taking care of the secondary issues as well. The whole horse must be well to perform. |
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 Super Woman
Posts: 1368
| We were at a dead end with Kat when we opted to do the bone scan. It showed things that totally answered so many questions. Animal Imaging was great! No complaints and questions, answered! |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Thanks for both your replies. I guess the biggest reason I'm opting for it now after the fracture has healed is we don't have a definitive diagnosis as to why she is so off now. She is more off now then when the injury first occurred.
Edited by WetSaddleBlankets 2017-07-26 5:01 PM
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
Location: Florida.. | my mare fractured her pelvis but prior was off with SI issues. She never recovered fully either ..good luck |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1008
| I did a bone scan when we had mystery lameness....it showed a couple areas where we did further investigate but also have not been able to get the horse sound. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | The reason why you do a bone scan, most of the time, is to help localize a lameness that cannot be found during the normal lameness exam. It's for lamenesses that you can't block out yet you know something is wrong. The bone scan shows the entire horse in a very pixelated black and white skeleton picture. Areas that have increased uptake will light up. You look for asymmetries in the skeleton picture and then you can target your nerve blocks or other diagnostic procedures to that area.
Just as an example: say a horse has increased uptake in the left front foot. It doesn't tell you anything more than that. It won't say that its the navicular bursa, or the impart ligament, or the coffin joint. But it will point you to the foot. It just can't get any more specific than body regions.
The other reason for using bone scans is to detect fissure fractures in race horses before they displace and what not.
So for your case, the reason the other vet probably suggested a bone scan was to see if the pelvis lights up still, at least my thought process points me to that. I'm not sure if its worth the money if you already know where the problem is to do another diagnostic procedure to confirm the area of the problem, if that makes sense. What it could tell you is the area is still actively remodeling, which may suggest pain/inflammation/etc. Unfortunately I'm not sure theres a lot of options for making them performance sound when they have injuries like that.
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Veteran
Posts: 146
| I am dealing with a fractured pelvis right now also. My vet told me to keep my mare in a small pen for 1 year. We are 8 months in and I am very impressed with her healing. She does a little trot around every once in a while and she looks pretty good. I personally know of 3 horses in my area that have had this injury and 2 of them went on to win world championships in working cow horse and the other went back to being a tough 1D horse. From what I have learned the secret is to give them enough time to heal. I have bred my mare so she will end up having a year and 1/2 off. My vet feels that there is a good chance she will come back 100%. I'm not discouraging you from getting a bone scan. I just think that sometimes time can be your friend. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Thanks again everyone for your advice! It really helped me. I think I've made my decision. If we are 3 months into the 6 month off period and she has not improved even a little I think I will opt to try a bone scan. We already know from the ultrasound what is going on and like you've all said a bone scan will just show if it lights up but won't show the actual problem other than pointing us in the direction of what we already know.... |
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Veteran
Posts: 146
| Please let us know what you find out.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
Location: on the fine line between insanity and geniusness | I don't know where you are located, but if you do decide on it- Animal Imaging at Las Colinas is THE BEST!! We sent a mare over there after spending a small fortune on her front end and they were able to give me a very clear diagnosis and prognosis. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
| Ashley Lynn - 2017-07-28 11:00 AM
I don't know where you are located, but if you do decide on it- Animal Imaging at Las Colinas is THE BEST!! We sent a mare over there after spending a small fortune on her front end and they were able to give me a very clear diagnosis and prognosis.
Thanks! I'm in Wisconsin. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 380
| I had a mare with something going on. She had a totally disunited canter. Had one vet/chiro look at her. He adjusted her but was not optimistic. She began to exhibit more behaviors that indicated discomfort. Brought in another equine vet. He was highly regarded and experienced. After the exam he said a bone scan would be a waste of good money. She likely had a fracture in her pelvis at some point and had since healed but she was done. Would never be anything but a pasture horse/broodmare and light trail riding horse walk/trot. He was correct. I would not even bother with something like this again. |
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