Kissing Spine - cortisone injections again!!!

[opinionuk]

I have been working with my mare since she was diagnosed with Kissing Spine 7 months ago we have been out competing and she has been doing very well, however now she seems to have gone down hill a little and seems tight and not working from behind, the vet did say she may require injections 6 months after her first lot, its been 7 months now and I think it may be time for injections again.

I really didn't want to go down that route its not the financial implication I suppose I was hoping for the problem to have disappeared and everything be ok.

If I have to give her cortisone injections every 6 months surely the effectiveness of them will gradually wear off and eventually they will stop working??

I'm so upset, does this mean the future is looking very bleak for my 5 year old mare? :-(

 

[Birker2020]

I have been working with my mare since she was diagnosed with Kissing Spine 7 months ago we have been out competing and she has been doing very well, however now she seems to have gone down hill a little and seems tight and not working from behind, the vet did say she may require injections 6 months after her first lot, its been 7 months now and I think it may be time for injections again.

I really didn't want to go down that route its not the financial implication I suppose I was hoping for the problem to have disappeared and everything be ok.

If I have to give her cortisone injections every 6 months surely the effectiveness of them will gradually wear off and eventually they will stop working??

I'm so upset, does this mean the future is looking very bleak for my 5 year old mare? :-(

Are you sure that her not working from behind is due to the KS? You are assuming that this is the problem but it could be from other things. The way I understand it a lot of KS horses have hind limb problems: such as suspensory problems or spavin in their hocks. In order to alleviate the undiagnosed pain in the hind legs they carry themselves differently hence the development of KS over a period of time.

I might be completely wrong, but I'd call the vet out to give her the once over before you start thinking the worse.

Try not to worry and seek guidance from your vet. He may suggest a trot workup at the clinic with flexion tests/nerve blocks and perform xrays or scans in order to rule out other conditions. He might suggest you trying anti inflammatory pain killers to see how she responds to these on a day by day basis?

 

[sodslaw]

Hi Opinionuk
I have a horse that was diagnosed with KS about 3yrs ago -he is now coming up for 14. Initially we had cortisone injections and then a course of acupuncture, this was followed by about 6wks of working on the lunge and in hand before I got back on board. I don't lunge with a single rein, but double lunge instead. I don't use gadgets when lunging, just a cavesson, as initially my horse panicked when being "tied down" into gadgets. The vet told us that we would never do dressage. But I have persevered and made sure that I schooled consistently, and kindly. We have done lots of in-hand work and stuff like "belly lifts" and tummy tucks to help build him up again and mobilise his back. I have also used a Neurotrack machine (electric impulses to stimulate muscles, similar to TENS, but also help build muscles). This season we have competed at Novice level and got placed with some very nice scores. We are now starting collected work and in the last couple of days he offered his back so much that he is lifting the back of the saddle!
My advice to you would be to get a good trainer who is sympathetic and who understands classical schooling/dressage. When horses are schooled correctly and taught how to carry themselves properly they can go on to have a happy productive life. It could also be helpful to get her legs etc checked, as suggested, my horse was retired from eventing due to suspensory ligament trouble in the back legs before I got him. It might be worth investing in the cortisone again to get your mare pain free (there are also other treatments you could research: acupunture, massage, mesotherapy etc.) and then sort your schooling/training.
Good luck! PM if you want any more info!

 

[bluehorse]

Hi Opinionuk

I don't really know much about the effectiveness of cortisone injections for kissing spine. I could tell you about it for other reasons, but that won't answer your question! Firstly I suppose, don't jump to conclusions, there could be other issues causing a downturn in performance.

What I would say is that on a horse so young, if the injections are only lasting a few months, enquire about surgery - I do have experience in that area!

Long story but my 6yo had surgery last year, he had many symptoms before, and whilst we are still working through the fallout, there is constant progress. I am so pleased with him.

Don't write off your 5yo - personally having experienced the effectiveness of surgery for my own horse, for one so young as yours I can only recommend that you consider it.

Ultimately you will make that decision yourself and decide what's best. Surgery is scary, but in my (one) experience of it, I have no regrets - just a great result for him and me.

Happy to answer any questions just ask...

 

[liona123]

Don't give up! Our 7 year old was diagnosed last winter, having bought her the previous July. She was too far gone for cortisone, but they operated on her, and so far (touch wood) it seems to have been brilliant. If your horse is only five then there is still a lot you can do . If it gets as far as the op stage then there is still plenty of hope!!!

 

[milz88]

Hi,

It may be worth having the hocks x-rayed, as others have said KS can have other related problems due to the way the horse will compensate for the pain in his back and therefor move differently/incorrectly over a period of time.

I first noticed my horse wasn't moving properly in feb this year after winter, turns out he had bi-lateral bone spavin... so injections in the hocks and we see a huge improvement, added to this 3 sessions with a proper ACPAT physio ( the effectiveness of this cannot be underestimated). 6 months later I feel although improved, he still isn't 'great', hocks re-injected and the vet thinks he has still built no muscle behind the saddle in the time he has been in work since she last saw him (6months), this leads her to ask if she can x-ray his back and we then find he has a KS too! :-( very sad news, we then take the decision to retire him from eventing.

No surgery, due to various reasons and discussions with our vet. So we medicate his back with steroids too, and I am coming towards the end of 6 weeks on the pessoa.
The difference in him is phenomenal, if your horse has been well enough to go out competing and do well, surely you'd inject again? (and count yourself lucky it worked, it is not a 'given' that it will)

My horse now does the best stretchy, big trot paces I have ever seen and practically showed me extended walk with a flicky toe last night! I am so impressed, I can only hope this will continue and he will be comfortable enough to be ridden at a low level (RC/fun rides/hacking etc).

Good luck!!