Kissing spine - is bute or a good joint supplement any benefit?

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Fifty Bales of Hay

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I was just wondering the people who have horses with kissing spine and still wanting to work them (surgery not an option in this case) whether a good joint supplement (for arthritis) or bute or a combination of the two any benefit in making the horse more comfortable to be ridden?

Or any other suggestions?
 
I feed mine with KS superflex. My vet told me to try pernamax which he said was good for KS - I bought two bottles of it (about £80 each) and there was no difference at all. However if he misses one dose of the superflex he is stiff the next day.

I also found that his magnetic rug helps a lot, especially in cold weather.
 
I am so sorry that your horse has kissing spine, I dont belive an ordanairy vet can eliminate surgery, unless you were told this at Newmarket you should get a second opion. I had a horse myself with ks I bought alsorts of supplements unfortunatly I found them a total waste of money. I was told surgery was an option but as the mare was quite old decided against it. I hope the outcome is better for you and your horse.
 
Mine lives on either bute or danilon, i used to feed shark cartilage, can't remember what it was called but i didn't notice any difference..
Yes i too think magnetic rugs help and MiroTec rugs.
 
Get a second opinion re the operation

Yes Bute and a joint supp will help a teeny bit, not very much tho.

Plenty of magnetic rugging/ massage machines. H wave machines even better.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I am so sorry that your horse has kissing spine, I dont belive an ordanairy vet can eliminate surgery, unless you were told this at Newmarket you should get a second opion. I had a horse myself with ks I bought alsorts of supplements unfortunatly I found them a total waste of money. I was told surgery was an option but as the mare was quite old decided against it. I hope the outcome is better for you and your horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes it was a vet in Newmarket (which incidentally is not the specialist centre for KS - it is Willesley but the degree of impingement meant that there is no point going through with surgery).

My horse coped perfectly well when he was in daily work and had a good topline - it was only when I was told to stop riding him that the muscle spasms occurred. So, for now, he will be injected and ridden accordingly. If I cant keep up the level of exercise then he will be retired.

Oh and to clarify earlier post, I feed mine with KS, superflex, not I feed mine with KS Superflex (no such thing).

There is a lot more strain on the other joints so I think the superflex helps. Lots of others feed cortaflex etc depending on what works for the horse.
 
As you've said the suppliments will help with other joints but I don't think they'll benefit the KS.
I do rate Cortaflex as I took it for my arthritis and definatly had a good reaction sadly I can't afford it so I suffer with very painful hands and my boy is currently on Newmarket joint suppliment which is covered by his insurance for a year, thank gawd as its £130 for 2.5Kgs.
Squirt had KS and had the op which was successful although he was left with a residual problem which was treated this summer and he's going from strength to strength. I give him Devils Relief as well, no clue if it works but it keeps me happy!
 
My mare has Kissing Spine and have just invested in a Back on Track mesh rug, still in middle of seeing if it helps, I have put her on Devils Claw instead of bute as bute has now been made illegal in competition, not that I can compete her at the moment of course and might never be able to again, I wanted her on a herbal supplement which the vet recommended.

Its very difficult to see if its had any effect or if its the rug or the chiro she has been having or the work I have been doing to get her to ride long and low, to be honest there are so many things that could be of benefit or detriment i'm losing the will to live!
 
Bute as pain relief and anti-inflam will help yes, but probably won't be able to relieve all the pain if your horse is badly afflicted with KS. However, do think carefully before relying on or paying out for an expensive supplement. All supplements that go in the feed, obviously go into the horse via the stomach and gastric juices/acids will break anything down into it's constituent parts. So if your horse already has a carefully balanced diet, then a supplement is unlikely to be much help other than to provide the building blocks necessary for the production of cartilage etc. Clearly POMs don't necessarily come into this category but most joint supplements aren't POMs. Someone posted on here a while back that her vet told her that she might as well just give her horse a spoonful of sugar as any of the supplements on the market. Food for thought, as it were.
 
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