Feeling for Kissing Spine

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Footlights

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Is it possible to feel for slight abnormalities in a horses spine that suggest it will get Kissing Spine in the future?

If so, what are you feeling for?
 
I wouldn't want to generalise as they are all different, but with my boy there was a very slight soft swelling right where it turned out he had kissing spine (he has had the op)....
 
I would say generally no..even if you can feel something different, without an Xray you couldn't say if it meant KS or just a more protruding process.
 
Mine had no swelling. If there is KS, depending on where it is on the back you may find your horse has difficulty if you or a physio tries to get him to arch his back, also you may find that although your horse doesn't necessarily ride hollow, he doesn't lift his back when working properly and finds it hard to engage his back end. You may also start to notice general stiffness in the back end gait, a difficulty in holding canter and/or lack of ability to track up easily and a dislike of short sharp hills etc where he has to bring his back end under him.

If your horse has KS, I would suggest perhaps look at above to start with and also think about whether your are starting to see any change in behaviour, even if not explosive llike mine, some nappiness and shirty behaviour if you are asking for correct work. Many horses cope with KS, some display none of the above symptoms but often trauma to the back can then lead on to KS if they are predisposed to the condition, many horses spend their life with the condition undiagnosed and cope.

Hope that helps
 
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what do you think of this back? - nothing out of ordinary - horse doing novice tests - just girthy and i just had a niggle she could give me more. had to really push for referral - insurance wouldnt pay so took her myself and risked the fact i may have to pay £1000 for the diagnosis and they may not find anything. Well...........
cant get xrays to show on here but she has 8 touching vertebrae - i kind of thought there might be something but did not expect that! - she has been performing with it for the two yrs i have have had her and passed a 5 stage vetting - my vet said its most likely been there longer!

If only could feel something to see if a horse has it - u cant - not really :(
 
I wish there was an easy way. My boy was checked by two back people (Mctimmony chiro and a sports therapist), and my vet. None picked up any soreness in his back. He had KS in ten places. When the vet came to medicate his back with steroids, she found it almost impossible to get the needle into the right place due to his spinal processes touching. In retrospect, she probably could have felt he was likely to have the condition as it was so difficult for her to feel any gaps between the spines. When he went for examination at Rossdales, it was noted that his back had very little movement. It was incredibly ridgid.
 
McTimoney didn't pick up on these issues in my horse which is why I wouldnt use them again, the possible symptoms etc of KS are well known and documented, an Xray is the only way to diagnose.
 
im not sure you can, it can be quite hard to diagnose in alot of cases even in the more severe ones, a mare i had was recovering from it when i got her and it took atleast 2 years to diagnose hers physios, vets, chiros all missed it but her owner had a hunch
 
i did indeed !!! and coming back in a few weeks too. came on 16th feb - little bay mare who decided nerve blocks were enough for her and tried rearing in exam room so me hanging on head and twitched managed to do the third nerve block - little sod. So when she went back on the 24th for back to be medicated she did not want to go in that room! And was a it of a cow when svend was just giving her some antibiotics - when we return I have no doubt we will have issues getting in the exam room !!!!! I was recommended to come to Willesley to see Svend as was told he was fab and he was - If she does have the operation she will have to be sedated ALOT to do anything with her as now getting shirty with most vets who have needles!!!!!
 
Svend is quite a high energy chap (no disrespect to him I really like him) there is another vet there, she is Finnish or something, she is very very calm with the horses and was able to shockwave my horse with small amount of sedation..compared to the previous session where it had to be topped up, I'm sure it's because of her energy, Svend is very 'buzzy' bless!
 
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