Kissing Spine and suspensory ligament

Brunocat

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has anyone dealt with kissing spine surgery and high hind suspensory ligament injury? How was it handled? Any successful outcomes ie return to higher level dressage?
 

islandspirit

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I'm afraid the 2 go hand in hand along with sacro illiac pain. Do you know if the kissing spines is active? My horse was referred to Sue Dysen at the AHT in Newmarket, she is fantastic and treats each case on an individual basis, treatment plans vary depending on the cause and severity of each problem. My own horse had a steroid injection to the sacro illiac, shock wave therapy to his back and surgery on both hind suspensories. Rehab involved box rest then walking out in hand in a Pessoa starting at 5 minutes a day building up to an hour over 8 weeks. It has been a slow rehab but he is sound and building up in strength. Most horse with PSD seem to struggle on soft surfaces so I try to do lots of schooling out on hacks and keep the school for lessons and competitions.
 

jessieblue

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My boy was diagnosed with suspensory desmitis, in both hinds 2 years ago, along with sacro iliac ligament strain. I suspected KS as well at the time, but we never bone scanned to find out. We went for surgery to both hinds and cortisone to SI. If he had KS it seems to be ok at the moment. Its been a long recovery but he looks amazing at the moment although I havent returned to jumping him as yet. I was not at high level so cant comment other than to say I know many high level competition horses have been treated for PSD and continue to do well. I think really good rehab and slow careful return to work is essential. Pay attention to physio, feet, straightness all the way through. Good luck.
 

Brunocat

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x rays have shown kissing spine. Injected with steroids and made a big difference but can't do it again as we got steroid induced laminitis the first time.
 

Always-Riding

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I had a horse who had KS and PSD - unfortunately surgery was not an option for this horse who was aimed as affiliated competitions and needed to be active.

He was turned away but his KS got worse where he'd flinch at anything on his back. It broke my heart (and still does) when the decision was made to pts.
 

CBAnglo

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Mine had the KS surgery (3 vertebrae "removed") and double neurectomy and steroid injection into sacroiliac. It has taken him a year to rehab and he definitely moves better and doesnt appear to be in pain (when he is p*ssing off with you) however his SI is his limiting factor and he will never jump again and also he doesnt have the hind leg action that you need for high level dressage (he cannot really bring his hindquarters underneath him enough).

If he were my only/main horse then TBH I wouldnt have gone through the last year with him and would have PTS (he was in huge amounts of pain from the PSD and would have broken down in the field). It is a question of how much the SI joint has been compromised. My boy was 13 by the time he was diagnosed (that is when everything deteriorated at the same time). I also had Sue Dyson advise on mine and she said that the SI is the problem, the KS and PSD normally have good results with surgery and can return to competition.

I have heard that most people who have steroid injections in the back find that the KS becomes an issue again (it doesnt "fix" the problem).
 
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