Kissing Spine - from withers, all the way down!

[monica987]

ok, well my mare has just been diagnosed with kissing spine. She doesnt just have one or 2, she has it from her withers, all the way down her back and thay are all in one block and too close together to inject and there is no point in operating as there are so many.
well i ahve had an opinion from the vet which is she can be lightly hacked and be a companion or broodmare.
however YO says that she wont be able to take the weight and thinks she would be in pain being ridden, which is what i thought but the vet says different.
what do you think??
is it possible to ride her/breed from her as it is all down her back!
i will scan in the scans and post them fior you to see what you think and see how bad they are.
thanx

 

[squirtlysmum]

Thats really bad news, I'd be very wary about breeding from her as it's possible KS may be genetic. I bred a foal from my mare, foal now four had KS op and thinking back I would not be suprised if his mum had it too, when I think of her reaction in situations.(Grazing in heaven now! So I'll never know.)
Unless YO has experience with KS I would go with what your vet says, if she allowed you to ride her up until now then I should think a bit of hacking would keep her mind ticking over.

 

[Nailed]

I think you shouild listen to the qualified official and your horses signals.
If the vet syas it is fine, it probably is.
If you mare says shes in pain, she will let you know.
Until either of them says not to ride her, i think i would continue to ride her.
Weight may be an issue, get a light weight saddle and enjoy her.
Lou x

 

[monica987]

thanx, but i think she has been telling me for a while, eg when hacking, going into canter i have been flybucked off - every time going into canter on a hack she plays up...

 

[monica987]

btw, i want doing all this riding whilst i knew she had KS, before she had been diagnosed

 

[samp]

It is a difficult one. she has it too bad to consider surgery and she will in time deteriorate you can probably hack her in walk and trot but I would possibly use bute to keep her comfy

 

[cornwallexracers]

Its a difficult one. I think really its up to what you feel happy with, as you're the one dealing with her on a daily basis. I have a mare that was diagnosed with kissing spines, she would literally collapse and end up sitting down like a dog. She had all the treatment and the vet gave me the go ahead to ride her, although it was only light hacking, not the sort of work she had been doing before. Ultimately I decided it wasn't fair to her, as the problem could always re-occur and she would always get very distressed when it did. So now she's enjoying a happy retirement at home, although she still has regular physio and exercises to help keep her comfy.

 

[sundance]

who is your vet? it may be worth while getting in touch with Svend Kold at Willersley, he seems to be the most active in this area. If you have the scans perhaps you could speak to him and mail them? just an option

 

[Happy Horse]

I would seek a second opinion from an equine surgeon (assuming yours isn't already). If they agree with your vets advice then you could consider it. Please don't consider breeding from her though unless she is worth breeding from, there are too many foals bred just because the mares can't do anything else.

 

[derricks]

Hi
My Tb mare also has in-operable KS . I have been advised not to breed from her as the weight of the foal could cause discomfort and there is a possiblilty that the foal will aso develop KS.
The vet has said that if she is put in foal and is in pain when the fooal gets bigger and heavier I will not be able to give her any pain killers and she will then have to suffer until the foal is born. Hence I have decided not to have a foal from her and she has now been retired for the last 4 years, she is now 18.
Good luck with your decision

Sam

 

[Tempi]

i would definately NOT breed from her, there is no proff that KS is not genetic. IMHO hacking her is not very kind to her, she will still be in pain however gently you ride her, i really dont think its very fair. My friend is going through an identical thing to you at the moment, and shes finally realised that the best thing to do is just turn the mare out for the rest of her life, or have her PTS.

 

[Tia]

No I would never breed from this horse and No I would never ride this horse.

 

[aimeerose]

personally i wouldnt ride or breed, as others have said, the weight of the foal could cause problems and pain,
and as for riding - from what you have said she has been telling you thats shes not ok.

if she was mine i would either try to find her a home as a companion (of the discomfort was manageable) or if she was uncomfy PTS.

sorry - not a very cheery post.
im basing what i would do on the decisions we had to make with a mare who had a degenerative (sp) pelvis.

 

[monica987]

thanx guys - we have found a place for her on a stud farm, not to breed but just to run with the mares

thanx for the advice
x

 

[Lill]

Isn't Oakey your fairly new mare?

 

[Tempi]

im glad you have found somewhere she can go and relax for the rest of her life, thats really good xx

 

[monica987]

yup, oakey is my new mare

 

[BethH]

MY HORSE HAS HAD KS OPERATION, VET'S BELIEVE IT WAS GENETIC AS he was ONLY A YOUNGSTER WHO HAD DONE VERY LIGHT WORK. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE PAIN THEY CAN BE IN WITHOUT TELLING YOU, although some cope very well and others don't. Trust your instincts and if you want a 2nd opinion go to Svend Kold at Willersley in Gloucestershire, IMO he is the best in the country at this and has heap loads of experience with all sorts of levels of KS (he did a superb job on my boy). I believe the most he has ever taken out is 6 bones but he is clever in the way he does it. A big factor will be the time the horse in under general anaesthetic for him to be able to complete the surgery. Get your vet to send him the x-rays if you want to go further with this, but if not enjoy your horse and listen carefully to what she tells you. You can always PM me if you want any help or advice. Good luck.