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New insights into SI joint pain
horses
The research suggests scintigraphy alone is not a reliable method of diagnosing SI joint pain.
Findings may help vets recognise clinical signs

Pioneering research by the Animal Health Trust (AHT) offers insights into the prevalence and characteristics of sacroiliac (SI) joint region pain and how it relates to lameness in horses.

This is the first large-scale study of its kind and it is hoped the findings will help vets and horse owners to recognise the clinical signs.

According to the research, the clinical signs of SI joint region pain are worse when horses are ridden. This highlights the importance of examining horses under saddle where possible to observe the severity and breadth of the clinical signs.

Another key finding was that diagnostic analgesia using a safe, non-specific nerve block could significantly reduce clinical signs.

Signs indicative of SI joint region pain were: bucking and kicking, particularly in canter; a bunny-hopping type canter; stiff, stilted canter; spontaneously breaking from canter to trot; and being reluctant to canter.

Blocking the SI joint in diagnostic investigations could offer crucial information in horses showing these signs, according to AHT.

The research also suggests scintigraphy alone is not a reliable method of diagnosing SI joint pain - just 42 per cent of the horses with a positive response to SI joint pain had abnormal radiopharmaceutical uptake.

However, researchers said the use of scintigraphy and ultrasonography in conjunction with an SI block can provide additional information in some cases.

The majority of the horses involved in the study had SI joint region pain and lameness of the hind limbs. In some horses, removing the source of pain in the lame limb resulted in a clear improvement.

However, ridden exercise highlighted the persistence of another source of pain, which in some cases was worse after eradicating the lameness.

AHT said this highlights the importance of observing ridden exercise in trot and canter when assessing lameness.

Lead author Sue Dyson added: "Assessing the effect of treatment of the SI joints is not an effective method of diagnosis; the use of nerve blocks is much more reliable."

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.