Kissing spines - surgery & rehab

B

Butterbean

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 December 2006
Messages
1,098
Visit site
My horse was diagnosed with kissing spines a couple of months ago, and had steroid injections in his back coupled with physiotherapy. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to have worked
frown.gif
and he is being referred back to the equine hospital, vet thinks it likely that surgery is the next step.

I would really appreciate advice from anyone who has been through this - especially re what sort of rehab programme did you have? How long did it take? Was it successful?

I hate the thought of my horse having this big operation, but he is only 7 and so lovely that I don't want to give up on him. The strange thing is that his only symptom is that he cannot canter on the right rein (when ridden) without disuniting continually. This started suddenly about 6 months ago, before that he was doing well at dressage, jumping, had just won his first one day event ... he has never acted like he was in pain or had any of the "explosive" reactions that other people seem to have experienced with kissing spines.
So I'd also be interested if anyone else's horse had similar symptoms that were helped by the KS surgery.

thanks
 
My boy had KS and the surgery and it has definatly changed his back he would be really unhappy if I even touched his back. He too had the steroid injections and it reduced the body's natural swelling and he was clearly in immense pain and initially we thought he had severe colic. He had the surgery and was on box rest initially then when the staples came out I started working him in a pessoa but he hated it and constantly bucked so I used a bungee like a chambon and it worked. He still had a negative mental attitude and can be a sod to ride but I know when he's unahappy and he still has Physio when needed. Unfortunatly he went through a wire fence last Novemebr and somersaulted over the next fenceso he just been through more physio, I'm now off having had surgery to my hand so eventually we will get to work together.
 
Thanks O_B and S_M, I will definitely ask hospital about what rehab programme they have to make sure exercise is included from the start.
 
My horse had the op in January and today had a saddle put on his back for the first time. After the op, I was advised to get him moving as quickly as possible by the vet. After the initial box rest, and when the staples were removed, I walked him in hand - very boring but worth the effort if your horse can do it - and building up the lunging to 30 mins a day. He went to the vets today for his final assessment and the vet was very pleased with the progress he made. Don't worry your horse will be fine. The op is only the first step and the work is done when you get him home. It's not always easy but the rewards are great! Good luck.

By the way, speak to BethH she was fantastic and is the font of all knowledge on this subject.
 
My horse had the op in January at the age of 6, and today had a saddle put on his back for the first time. After the op, I was advised to get him moving as quickly as possible by the vet. After the initial box rest, and when the staples were removed, I walked him in hand - very boring but worth the effort if your horse can do it - and building up the lunging to 30 mins a day. He went to the vets today for his final assessment and the vet was very pleased with the progress he made. Don't worry your horse will be fine. The op is only the first step and the work is done when you get him home. It's not always easy but the rewards are great! Good luck.

By the way, speak to BethH she was fantastic and is the font of all knowledge on this subject.
 
For me, Ryan having the op was a bit of a relief, sounds daft I know but at least it would be a once and for all choice rather than an ongoing nightmare of trying to keep him fit and having a life too, he was also utterly dangerous. Thats not to say that I enjoyed making the decision, think it was one of the hardest of my life with lots of tears. However, Ryan was operated on 2yrs ago, I can't believe time has flown by so fast, I have learnt masses, it has made me into a far better horseperson, we were and are both pretty novice so it has been a steep learning curve.

But - my horse did pre-lim dressage at a good quality dressage centre 2 wks ago, did a good test (62% only 4th time out ever and 1st time out for 7mths - this is pretty good for Ryan as he is not built for dressage) and the judge pulled me over to one side after to tell me how lovely he was. She also commented on his paces and enjoyment of his work so I was thrilled, in fact I was nearly in tears - for good reasons for once! as it has been such a long journey but to have a judge tell me how lovely it was to see a horse enjoying his work so much has made it all worthwhile, Ryan is clearly much happier and I am thrilled that I have been able to help him.

I am very happy for you to pm me if you need to but the best advice I can give is to get your horse moving straight away but take your time, just don't waste it. If you overdo it you will have setbacks, build him up calmly and slowly so that he is strong, I have plenty of info on Ryans regime if you want it, I did have severe behavioural issues to deal with so went more slowly than some others but it worked well for him.

Best of luck to you, I hope you are able to make the right decision for you and your horse, don't be disheartened that the injections haven't worked, they didn't work on Ryan and many other horses with KS that I have come across. By the way, Svend Kold at Willersley Equine Clinic in Gloucestershire would be my 1st choice of surgeon, he is excellent and good value. It might be worth seeing if you can get referred to him as he does a couple of these operations each week and I felt it was best to go to someone with a lot of experience with this particular op.
 
Many thanks for your replies BethH and Fiorano, it is good to hear from people who have been in the same situation.
Beth - I know what you mean about the surgery being a relief in some ways, at least then I would know that there wouldn't be a continuing source of pain or always be worrying that he was regressing. However spoke to vet yesterday and it looks like they may be trying the steroid injections again first, am waiting for hospital appointment so I can talk it through with them there.
Having read a lot on here about Sven Kold I wish we were nearer there & will mention Willersley Equne Clinic to my vet.
Thanks for the offer of pm contact, will take it up if / when we have a decision on the way forward.
 
Hi, just to let you know that Ryan had a 4 1/2 hour journey to Svend as I am in Kent, I can give you the name of the guy I used to travel him up there, he is a friend of Svend Kold's and travelled down to collect Ryan (and me and my suitcase as my 8 month old daughter came down with chicken pox on the day I was due to take him there - husband had to babysit, he didn't enjoy the experience!), he was far better value than anyone my way and has a wonderful manner with the horses, he is obviously a very experienced horseman and drove very carefully. Ryan travelled brilliantly and just stayed at Willersley an extra 2 or 3 days before the long journey home but again travelled really well. I just knew he was in safe hands there. PM me if you want any info and best of luck with it all.
 
Hi there, well you've probably had enough answers; but if it hadn't been for this sight my girl wouldn't be here now. Honey had the KS op last June, we had a bit of an unrelated problem afterwards which put us back a bit; but she is now doing brilliantly. Honey was done at the same place as Beth's Ryan and I can't speak highly enough of the support they gave. Honey is a completely different horse and although you have to be dedicated to the fittening programme afterwards, I don't regret a moment, infact in an odd sort of way it helped me to understand my horse better.

Good luck with whatever you decide, but would not hesitate in recommending the operation, but as others have indicated; please go for a specialist who recommends a thorough fittening regime immediately after the operation. The more effort you can both put in the better the results - even if it takes some of us a bit longer than others!! LOL
 
We left my second pony (13.2 8yr JC showjumper, qualified royal international working hunters, jumping 4ft+) for a year without any work, but the last 3months lunged him lightly. The vertabrae have now connected and he is back jumping 3ft3+, ok not as high but theres no sign of him ever having a problem... surgery is fine (expensive) but if i rememeber right the percentage of success was only 60% chance of him ever being able to jump again. Hope he gets better soon
smile.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top