Kissing Spine Update Number Two

[ajn1610]

Hi,
Just a quick update for all you nice people who gave me advice when the Mare was diagnosed. She has come to the end of the Palliative protocol and was assessed by the Vet and Physio yesterday (who have both been great through out), although she has shown some improvement she is still not sound. She is getting referred for some more scans and we have already spoken to the Vet about going to Svend Kold if she needs the Op.
So not great news really. On the plus side insurance cheque has come through so that is one good thing.

 

[VLHIEASTON]

Hi, is Svend Kold the best then ?

 

[ajn1610]

he has lots of fans on here! The clinic he is at has a great reputation. Google him.

 

[BethH]

Yes Svend is! Not that I'm a fan or anything but he did save my Boys life by doing the op and he is now back in work and getting better all the time. When I decided to go ahead with the op, I just felt I wanted the most experienced person do the job.

Ajn, try to be positive, I know that it would have been lovely for the palliative route to work and I am sad for you that you have further to go to sort this out, but if you opt for surgery at least the problem gets resolved and you can move fwd. PM me if you need any help and I have all my fingers crossed that you both come through this and do brilliantly after.

 

[ccooxxyy]

don't like to be pesemistic but surgery doesn't always work. infact I know a number of horses that sven did that later had to be shot.

 

[Halfpass]

Well our lad was done by Svend and he is just coming back into ridden work now. I spoke in detal to Svend about his success rate etc and never once told me horses had to be PTS because of the operation. Maybe well after due to other complications but NOT due to the operation. Our lad seems to be doing very well and like BethH we did our research and wanted the best for our lad which in our mind is what we chose. Good luck with your horse. Its bloody hard work but well worth it in the end.

 

[BethH]

This is an incredibly personal choice and it doesn't have a 100% success rate, although has become far more routine over the last few years, I did asked Svend about this and was advised approx 72-82% go back to full work and a further 10% into some form of work (rough figures from my memory so don't quote me) so I figured given that Ryan had very limited options, a 92% chance of recovery of some form and being out of pain was a chance worth taking. I believe for horses that don't recover, it is when they have other issues alongside the Kissing spine and also whether the owners get them moving and into the rehab work immediately. Some horses may have other complications like colic but I believe these are few and far between, i think he has done a survey of his last 100/150 cases to get more definitive success rates so is worth asking the question.

I have to go along with Halfpass and can only speak from experience, but although it has been tiring I am grateful for the knowledge it has given me and very grateful that my horse now has a future, we wouldn't be without him and I am relieved I gave him a chance, I hope I am looking forward to many many more happy years with him, he is after all part of our family.