Page 584 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

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Figure 12.27 Slight asymmetry of the tubera sacrale is not always significant

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of sacroiliac disease can be difficult because of the inaccessibility of the joint.
Other causes of hind limb lameness must be ruled out, e.g. back pain and distal hock joint
pain. Nerve blocks may be used to check that the lameness is not coming from the limbs.

A number of tests may be used to establish a diagnosis. They include the following.

PALPATION AND MANIPULATIVE TESTS
• Firm palpation of the tuber sacrale and surrounding soft tissues may be painful and cause

the horse to sink down. Painful spasm of the gluteal and hamstring muscles may be

elicited. Pressing on the dorsal spinous processes of the caudal lumbar and the sacral
vertebrae may cause the same response. However, these tests are not specific for
sacroiliac pain.

• A number of manipulative tests can be used to detect discomfort in the sacroiliac region.

• Apart from identification of fractures and severe instability of the joint, rectal
examination is not usually helpful.

• Flexion of the affected limb does not often exacerbate the lameness.

INJECTION OF LOCAL ANAESTHETIC