kissing spine

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mrs bingley

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Hi my horse has just been diagnosed with kissing spine.. not sure if he will need a op yet .. does any one know much about the op and the recovery time after plus the success, rate .. what about fusing the spine or physio ???? so confused
 
hi
not much help at moment but i'm halfway through box rest with in hand walking twice a day from week one 5 mins building up to 20 mins before we go back to see if we need the op (june 6th )--up to now we are on week 5 and doing ok ---sanity wise!!!

we had had physio when into week 3 and now are continuing with this daily (through physio showing us exactly what to do)

she had the injections when down at leahurst

although she has other problems aswell (if you read back into my posts you will get the full story of her problems)

from what i have been told if the op is needed it will be standing sedation
but if you search it on here ther are many who have had the op and been back to normal but it does take time
 
Hi my lad was diagnosed in november and after 4 weeks of physio wasn't responding sufficiently so I went ahead with the op. He wasn't bad but as he was 7 it was likely only to get worse and as I want to sell, I couldn't bear it if he bucked someone off later down the line.

Sucess rate is apparently quite high (according to the vet), I would definitely make sure they do it standing. I did, and the op went v smoothly, the horse won't wrench his back getting up (happened to a horse I had before, went in for a totally diff op) also its much lower risk as it involves sedation rather than full anasthetic.

Recovery was about 12 weeks (6 weeks box rest, last few walking in hand)but had a bit of a setback after he'd started going out, which added 4 weeks or so. If yours goes a bit loopy when turned out make sure you use sedalin each time for a while. Thats getting to the stage you can sit on.

I can't see how fusing would work, but physio afterwards is useful, also anything you can do to strengthen the back muscles. I worked up to lunging 20 mins a day (shouldn't really lunge for any longer in generalanyway), although if I could I would have done 15 mins twice a day. I used a pessoa or a chambon, which I varied, lunged over poles, single and multiples and did many many many transitions.
Towards the end i'd suggest lunging in your saddle to get the muscles used to it again. you can still use the pessoa if you tie a bit of string loose between the 'D's and clip it to that (although I left my saddle cover on)

Hope all this helps, its not great news but def not the end of the world.
Good luck.
 
thanks for info.. ths physio seems to think its pretty bad so i think that the op will be inevitable ( espesially with my luck lol ) yes he is a looney to turn out lunge etc .. and i brought a old synthetic to 1st lunge him in .. as my leather saddle has already been round the school a few times lol .. the sad thing is ive never ridden him , ive owned him 4 6 months and have spent that getting him up to weight and gainning his trust as he was a wreck when he arrived ... so sad .. but sounds like we could have a future .. again many thanks
 
One of my horses ( aged 7) is in recovery from the operation, she had quite a severe case and we used Svend Kold of Willesley vets in the south west, who did a brilliant job (touch wood)! It differs from vet to vet, but we did 6 weeks box rest and in hand walking daily, then 6 weeks turned out a few hours a day and daily lunging in pessoa lines, to strengthen abdominal muscle. She is now back in a fitness program lasting 12 weeks :) hope that helps
 
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