Kissing Spine

[Mid]

Hi, just wanted to ask some questions about kissing spine, as a friend has just had his mare diagnosed with it. The horse is in her early teens, and hasn't the best conformation in her back (slightly sunken back and also slight roach back) but has never had any problems before.

What is the average price of the op?
And what is the prognosis? the horse is very talented at dressage (at novice level atm) would she still be able to do dressage? would she still be able to jump competitively?

Thankyou =]

 

[Resupgirl]

Its a lottery some do some don't my mare had a KS op back in 2007 and I am just starting to think about getting her back in work again after my first attempt failed. The rehab is very important and patience. There are a lot of ladies on here who will be able to give very positive results. Good Luck.

 

[bounce]

Hiya
I have to say that I found the rehab to be very hard work with 6 weeks box rest with in hand walking and a further 6 weeks of lunging daily in a pessoa. If the horse is well behaved to handle from the ground to start with it helps.
Mine has just had the all clear from the surgeon to ride and I believe the op to be successful as I have a much happier horse. I'm hoping to get back to competing early next year (he had the op at the end of June).

I think the op is about £2,500 - £3000, it depends on the length of stay at the hospital, who does it and how many processes are removed.

Hope that helps.

 

[Bedlam]

I hope you have insurance because it is an expensive journey.

I've nearly come to the end of my £5K insurance money with my mare, but she is now nearly 4 months post op and doing really well.

We hope to be back competing better than before in March, but it's been a long hard slog. I only agreed to the op because we had scintigraphy that showed that there was nothing else wrong musculoskeletally. No point in fixing the back if the hocks are going to give out 12 months later.

I would recommend getting a definitive diagnosis, scintigraphy and action asap because everything adds up insurance wise - if I'd let the vets carry on playing with injections we could have spent £1K before even starting down the surgical route......

 

[seabiscuit]

Price of op £3500-£4k.

Make sure you have the op at Willsley equine in Gloucs!

If done at Willsely-Prognosis is excellent, horse should return to full competitive work and be better than he was before.

 

[HollyP]

i didnt max out my 5k limit op was under 3k....

my mare was 16/17 when she had hers and she is moving beautifully and i hope to compete on her in the future. I sent my mare away to a lovely little yard for her rehab as i didnt want to have to worry and stress that i wouldnt have time (i have a full time job) it was expensive to do this and i was broke but im soo glad as it took a lot of stress off me at a very stressful time!

defo worth operating

 

[Djcrista]

There is a posting i have put up on here earlier this week on KS ...My horse had his op done by Sven kold at the willesley in june. I have now been hacking out for 3 weeks. All so far is fine. its been a long hard road. I didnt have a horse walker and long reined him for 6 weeks in hand up to 30 mins a day plus he went out to grass in hand for up to an hour a day. Plus i work full time ! I used the pessoa for 6 weeks 5 days a week and i am now hacking for a month 5 days a week. I have run out of insurance. The scintigraphy cost 1500. The op was 3000 and then i had other vets review fees and physio. I paid 1000 out of own pocket for transport down and back to gloustershire from kent 4 times. The osteopath is costing 50 a shot . I'm just hoping its all going to be worth it.

 

[HollyP]

What is this scintigraphy? my mare didnt have thats...her back got treated with steriods...didnt work...waste of time and money as its a short term fix (if it works) then she went for op....probably how i saved my precious insurance payout! i did claim physio back thank goodness!

 

[Bedlam]

Scintigraphy (bone scan) was recommended for my mare because it gives you an indication of 'hot spots' of abnormal bone activity. The vets didn't want to go through the whole kissing spine op shebang and then find out that actually there were also problems with her shoulder/neck/poll/hocks........etc.

As the only hot spot was where the X-Ray indicated 2 touching DSPs she was then recommended as a good candidate for surgery. They can only have a high success rate for the surgical option if they carefully select the horses that will actually benefit. That was why I was happy to proceed with the operation - very high chance that she will come back better than she was before.

 

[perfectlypink]

My Mare was diagnoised with Kissing Spines at the beginning of Septemeber, i decided to give the steriods 1 go and now 4 weeks on I think they are starting to wear off. She was disunited in canter again last night for the first time since the treatment. I am going to lunge her tonight to see. But i think the op route is going to be my next step.

Has any one had the Kissing Spines op at Rossdales? Are there anythings that i will need for her if recovery?

Any help would be greatly recieved.

 

[Bedlam]

Yes, mine went to Rossdales.

When she came home she had a month's box rest with walking in hand (so a chifney might come in handy if your's is a handful - mine was very easy luckily).

She then had a month of small pen turnout, which we made with electric fencing. Then a month of full turnout.

After a trip back for a checkup they advised using an ACPAT physio (I'm using Michele Brooker - you can get her number off the ACPAT website. I like her.). They also advise lunging for 6 weeks or so using a Pessoa.

Hope that helps - good luck!

 

[srodwell]

would really advise you to contact a physio - you can find your nearest one at www.ACPAT.org - they have some brilliant rehab exercises and advice

 

[annatutt]

My mare had the op at Rossdales in January with exactly the same rehab suggested. She is now back competing BSJA, has gone clear at a hunter trial and ready to resume hunting (as soon as the ground improves!)

 

[Djcrista]

thats a great outcome Cleo! You must be thrilled! I have started 15 mins worth of trot and canter in the school now. He feels lovely and soft and no sign of backing off like he did previously. Its looking ok so far. Lets hope things continue well.....