Kissing spine update and question..

[Ivebeentangoed]

As some of you may know, my horse was diagnosed with KS a few weeks ago.

He was given a cortisone injection and bute and I was told to lunge in a pessoa (or similar) to build up his topline and to also get a physio out.

Physion came out on Saturday. She worked on him for 3 hours and told me that the KS isnt a major problem for him (he only has 2 impinging vertebrae 15th/16th and 16th/17th), its the muscle which is causing him pain. She even said that after her treatment I will be back on him in a week and to start lunging in his saddle straight away. He gets very tense when you put the saddle near him as he associates it with pain, I now have to retrain him to know that its not going to hurt.

Even though her visit left me feeling a huge sense of releif that it may not actually be that bad I am not going to get my hopes up just yet, the proof will come when I come to ride again!

She did say that 70% of all horses have KS, for some of them it causes no problems and it goes undetected.

I was just wondering, does anyone have a horse that has KS and has gone successfully without going under the knife? I dont want to be a top competer but I would like to do some dressage and sj at local level!

xx

 

[dany]

Just out of interest chick, who did you have out in the end?

I think most horses have some kind underlying problem (not just KS) that we have to be aware of, some are more obvious and some people just go on regardless! Just like we have little aches and pains. Ive always had horses that have needed attention and enjoyed the bonding the massage etc brings.

I really hope the physio is correct, although without being a negative profit of doom, I would have assumed the muscles around the effected area wouldnt be that sore at the moment if you hadnt been riding.

 

[Ivebeentangoed]

Just out of interest chick, who did you have out in the end?

I think most horses have some kind underlying problem (not just KS) that we have to be aware of, some are more obvious and some people just go on regardless! Just like we have little aches and pains. Ive always had horses that have needed attention and enjoyed the bonding the massage etc brings.

I really hope the physio is correct, although without being a negative profit of doom, I would have assumed the muscles around the effected area wouldnt be that sore at the moment if you hadnt been riding.

I had Anne-Marie Bright, she was very good. He had been ridden up to a week before the physio came.. Im not too sure about how positive she was being about his outlook and as much as I would love to think he is going to be fine in a week or two I just dont think its going to happen!

Still, as my boyfriend keeps saying when I get down about it, ''positive polly, not negative nelly''... haha

We will see!! xx

 

[Snowysadude]

Yes!! Mine has been on the injections for two years (didnt know about them when i bought him then found it out longg story and could send him back for a full refund but havnt for various reasons). He does a bit of everything: dressage, showjumping, cross country, sponsored rides, RC stuff etc and will be going on to try out BE next year if I get brave enough. He also has it in two places and only needs injections once a year (2 weeks of pessoaing after them and then get on). The saddle fear may be perminant, my boys is but I do find that when I run my fingers down his back he no longer reacts so its not painful for him. But I have found out that the steroids stop working when I have too much physio/osteo and he became very sore last year so havnt had any this year and touch wood hes still fine, so just be careful with that! .

 

[Ivebeentangoed]

Yes!! Mine has been on the injections for two years (didnt know about them when i bought him then found it out longg story and could send him back for a full refund but havnt for various reasons). He does a bit of everything: dressage, showjumping, cross country, sponsored rides, RC stuff etc and will be going on to try out BE next year if I get brave enough. He also has it in two places and only needs injections once a year (2 weeks of pessoaing after them and then get on). The saddle fear may be perminant, my boys is but I do find that when I run my fingers down his back he no longer reacts so its not painful for him. But I have found out that the steroids stop working when I have too much physio/osteo and he became very sore last year so havnt had any this year and touch wood hes still fine, so just be careful with that! .

The same sort of thing happened to me, bought him not knowing about it, had major problems for weeks only to take him to the vet to be diagnosed.
How old is he? Tango is 9 so didnt really want him to spend the rest of his life getting injections, not to mention how expensive they are! I wanted him to have the operation to be honest but both the physio and the vet are saying its really not neccesary!
Thats interesting what you say about the physio... I dont suppose you tried the magnetic therapy too, ive heard they can be very good for horses with back problems etc.

xx

 

[Snowysadude]

Not tried the magnetic therapy but he is also 9 yrs old and Im very happy with the steroids. The operation long term has a poorer prognosis and he could at the end of the day die on the table (horses have a much higher chance than any other animal) or it could not even work and he wouldnt be able to even be ridden properly again or do much at all! With the steroids he can do everything

 

[TicTac]

Not tried the magnetic therapy but he is also 9 yrs old and Im very happy with the steroids. The operation long term has a poorer prognosis and he could at the end of the day die on the table (horses have a much higher chance than any other animal) or it could not even work and he wouldnt be able to even be ridden properly again or do much at all! With the steroids he can do everything

And what have you based this information on? Most horses who have the KS operation do so standing up under heavy sedation. The procedure has come on alot in years.

Ivebeentangoed, have you seen the xrays of your horses KS? Personally I would base my decision on those as to be honest if they are impinging and or rubbing there is no way injections or work is going to seperate those vertabrae to how they should be.

I am certainly not advocating you put your horse under the knife un neccessarily, but as your horse is only 9, what happens when he is 12 or 13 and the problem returns? Think of the long term options and whether or not you can afford £1000 per go for Tildren and cortisol etc.

I had no choice with my mare ( photos of xrays in vet pictures page 8) and time will tell as it's still early days but I have no regrets. Good luck