Kissing Spine diagnosis

L

Lynz25

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 July 2006
Messages
296
Location
Beds
Visit site
My horse has been assessed to day and has about 3-5 kissing spine areas present. I've had him injected and got to start a rehab programme. Does anyone have any information with regard to kissing spine.
 
Don't worry.
There are many people on here that have experience with this both surgical and using a rehab programme.
Our horse Spike was operated on in March and is now being hacked out quite happily for 1 hour at a time. The rehab programme for him is what I think has helped him to reover so quickly.
Does your programmes include using a pessoa intensivley?
What were your horses symptoms and is there any talk about operating on him?
 
Been injected today, 2 days field rest then start lunging for 10 minutes in Pessoa or chambon. Then graduall increase in what doing then go down to lunging every other day. In 1 month start riding in walk then 2 weekly intervals trot then canter.

Vet not talking about operating yet just said if this does not work then there are more things we can try - but nothing further mentioned. Got to contact him with the result at end of rehab program.

Magic came in from the field mid june and was just not bringing his right hind through and lots of muscle spasm. Has ciropactor out one things were better for about 5 days. Then went up and he was galloping around the field hence spasm returned. After 10 days this settled fully so rode and the leg started not coming through fully. Got off and he walked fine. Then back muscles all went into spasm again. He then got a lump on the front of his right ohck. The vet x-rayed and checked back out - was already booked in by this point. She could not quite understand what was happened hence Newmarket today.

The vet said that he was not at least rearing / bucking explained he does do this at times and pulls faces at you as though he has thrown his toys out of the pram. We have put it down to teething as he is generally a really pleasant horse - more like a dog - loves humans and always wants to be with you. Does not do it as much as he used to. The vet said that other symptoms are resisting / evading the bit and not wanting to go forwards - in hindsite we have had these issues also. He can be a bit hot headed when going into trot / canter - although you can get on him after months off and you can pick up where you started.

All of above we put down to teething / being an ex-racer and quick to learn / get excited. Bless him he could have been much worse and actually bronked etc. Hopefully his ridden perrsonally may match his stable / field personallity
 
The lunge programme sound similar to the one we had when our horse was operated on. He had 6 weeks of wlking inhand straight after the op then 6 weeks of intensive lunging in a pessoa. We started of with 10 mins (5 on each rein) and built up to 30 mins (15 on each rein) over 6 weeks. The pessoa has to be quite tight ( our surgeon mentioned rollkur!!!) but this does allow the vertberae to open up. As your horse isn't broking etc you might find that this approach works for you. Unfortuantly for us we did have the injections but after 4 weeks we were back to square 1, just be aware that this may happen to you aswell (fingers crossed it doesn't !!!) Svend Kold at Willesley is the surgeon that has done alot of the horses on HHO and its his intensive lunge programme that seems to be what helps. I am sure if you email him he would be able to give you great advice.
Good Luck and if you need any advice just PM me.
 
Your horse sounds similar to mine....altho she has 7 affected and my vet hasnt been as helpful! everything was going well....but the steriods are wearing off and she is once again not tracking up on her right hind....im getting so frustrated as they said i should be back on next week!

cant call the vet as im at work...there was talk of shockwave but have no idea what is happening with that...

sorry to dampen spirits but mine have been haha!
 
I have already tried the electric wave treatment. After 3 sessions at £300 each the effects last 2 weeks and I was only walking him out for 30 mins.

For mine, there are only 2 affected - they are in the lumbar region. There maybe something else going on as well but I wont know until we get the bone scan which apparently wont be for another 3 weeks. It is so frustrating - mine is just a big expensive pet on full livery at the moment!
 
Magic is currently a field ornament who likes being groomed and made a fuss of. Also keeps you company when mucking off but have to keep the eyes in the back of you r head as he likes sending the barrow flying.
 
Its alright - he has his brother for company although he is now being brought back into work this week after 6 weeks off ... which will be fun.

sorry to hear about your mare - she displayed characteristics that were similar to both of mine - one has KS the other SI. I tried the pallative route as I told you and it didnt do anything for mine except for a brief 2 week period when he was lovely to ride again ... although we were only walking out!
 
It is very frustrating isnt it....she was doing so well i think i got my hopes up
frown.gif
will let you all know what happens (if i ever find out!)
 
If I ever had a horse with proper kissing spine again, and it could not work well, it would be going straight to svend Kold at Willesly to have the offending vertebrate taken out.

IMO steriods and all this flaffling about with shockwave/rehab programs is a complete waste of time and money. It is simply sealing over the cracks, not sorting out the problem.

MY horse had 3 vertebrate taken out, and after a lot of hard work and correct exercising/schooling he went back to winning dressage and showjumping. if only I had not wasted years of money and time with this silly steriod and shockwave therapy route.
 
That is how I am feeling right now. Shockwave starting tomorrow but I will speak to the vet in 15min and really talk. People have warned against the op but everyone here seems to have had success! its a confusing time!
 
You have to get the op done by the right person/surgeon, thats for sure- have a look at Svend at Willesley. Good luck I know the agony and frustration you are feeling, only too well. It is such a demoralisng time.
 
My horse is booked in to have his bone scan at Rossdales. Do you think it would be possible to be referred to Willesley after the scan?

The scan is next Thursday so I am loathe to change the date.
 
I have taken that day off work tomorrow to sort things with the vet.

how many of us are there that are going through/gone through KS? and who did ops etc....

we could have a little support group!
 
I agree with Ouija Boards sentiments and also her recommendation of Svend Kold at Willersley, I have posted many many times on this forum about this subject. I wished I heard more success stories from the palliative route but sadly unless you are an outstanding rider which many of us are not, I think it is very hard to keep the horse correctly muscled enough for this route to be permanently successful, especially as the back does continue to deteriorate.

Your vets can refer the x-rays to Svend as Willersley, ask for him specifically as his technique for the op is clever and your horse will be in surgery probably for a shorter period than with other surgeons because of the way he cuts the bone. He also wants you to get the horse moving straight after surgery and I am also convinced that this is why he has such good success results.

The op is a hard choice and very tiring and emotional, especially the rehab but for my boy it was worth it as his behaviour from pain became so bad that it was recommended he have surgery or be PTS. Since surgery 2yrs ago he has been ridden 5days a week and is strong, fit and happy although I can't deny he doesn't still have the odd tantrum (mainly because he is a stubborn part conne!) but I continue to be amazed at how far he has come and am convinced he has much further to go!
 
hmm, I just spoke to my vet and he said that the surgeon at Rossdales does around the same number as Svend and has about the same success rate. He seemed reluctant for me to ask for a referral to Willersley.

Has anyone had their KS at Rossdales? It seems everyone on here has opted for Svend (or is that because it was the closest).

As for age Holly_P I think I would still go ahead provided she was healthy etc. 15 is too young to be a light hack and to be honest I have been through the pallative route and it was a waste of time and hugely expensive. Without surgery you are going to have to keep her in constant work which is fine when it is summer and you are both ok - but if she has any time off for any reason then her muscles will weaken and it will take a good deal of effort to get her back to "normal".
 
If she is a young 15, has no other problems and your speak with an experienced surgeon they may well suggest you give it a go.

I live in Kent but Svend has a reputation throughout Europe and although it was a 4hour journey and about £800 in horsebox fees I have no regrets, I feel I took my horse to the best person there was as I felt he only had 1 shot at it given his behavioural problems. Svend only takes 1 part of the crossing bone away instead of both, so Ryan has a strong back with no saggy areas that I have seen on some other horses and you can barely tell he has had op, but that could also be because we worked hard to slowly muscle him correctly and took probably longer than maybe others did, again partly because of his behaviour. I can't comment on Rossdales as I haven't ever dealt with them but I believe Svend is the leading light for this op.

Just as an aside this is your horse and it doesn't really matter where your vet wants to refer you, it is your choice and you are paying the bill, but if you feel happy with Rossdales am sure they are fine, just ask plenty of questions about things like rehab sucess rates, percentage of horses back in work and how many suffer from post op infections etc etc, this will help you make your mind up
 
I am going up with my horse when he has the bone scan to see what they say. If I dont like it, I will ask for the scan to be sent to Willersley.

I dont have any qualms changing - this is my 3rd vet after the first 2 said there was nothing wrong with him and referred me to an osteopath to sort him out! I soon told that particular vet where to go.
 
CB I would ask to be referred to WIllesley as Svend has a different way of cutting things which is why he has been so successfull, also he has a better rehab program.

Holly good idea bout the support group!
 
ok guys big chat with vet today, im glad you have all said what i have been thinking i just wish it didnt have to come to this (surgery!) but at the end of the day this first lot of steriods isnt working and she is dropping muscle by the day i have been working so hard and she is fed a mountain of food...!

smile.gif
 
Lass had her op nearly four weeks ago now @ Newham Court in Maidstone by John, he was quite happy if i wanted to be refered to Willersley or Liphook in Hampshire but after long conversations lots of reasearch i decided to let her go there.

I went to John after a second opinion due to my first vet telling me it was behavioural after two visits to the vets @ John within 3weeks lass was diagonsed and we was well on the on the way preparing for the op.

We are doing our walking at the mo and in three weeks fingers crossed we should be starting the lunging i have had no probs so far and Lass has been better in herself i think after the op than ever before, I am sure now looking back she was always in pain.

I hope all goes well for you it is a very stressful time but i think is well worth it, i am now looking forward to brighter future with lass.

Keep us posted
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top