Should a vet be able to pick up kissing spine on a 5* vetting?

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harrie27

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I bought my Irish Sports Horse 6 months ago and had a 5 star vetting. We have been having problems with him from about a month after we got home. He doesn't hack on his own and just stops and refuses to move, often rearing. If you smack him he will tell you off by bucking. He has also got a lot stiffer and refuses to move forward when doing dressage. He is especially stiff on the left rain. We have just had an xray of his back and it has shown 2 vertebrae that are very close together, almost looking fused - most likely kissing spine.
I was just wondering whether this should have been picked up when he had a 5* vetting before we got him? He has 2 bumps on his spine where the kissing spine is - surely this would have been picked up at the vetting as suspicious?
Does anyone know if we come back with the vet if they failed to pick it up at the vetting? Also has anyone had a horse with kissing spine? Did u have an operation?

Any help would be greatly appreciated !
Harriet
 
No, because you can only tell on an xray.

It is also a progressive problem, so they may not have had it.

We had similar, bought a mare, she got moodier and arsier for about 4 months after we had her, then one day she reared up and over and landed on someone, nearly killing them.

Yes, we had the operation, there is no other way to cure it (regardless of what anyone says), only ways to mask pain. Its two bits of bone rubbing, they need to chop it off. Any other options just mask pain.

Can't tell you if she's come back well from the op as, nearly a year on, she's still not back in work (long story, snow, broken shoulders (ours, not hers), lack of school...). But she is less moody.
 
Im not an expert but IMO unless the vetting included xrays, no I dont think that theres a good case against the vet. It may not have been apparent, and it may not even have been as bad at the time of sale.

vetting to me is giving yourself the best odds everything will be ok, but thats it, no guarantees. Unless the horses leg is falling off and they miss that, or they miss something obvious on an xray etc, I think there isnt really much of a case.
 
thank you! yehh we have to try local in the vertebrae to see if it makes a difference then go from there!fingers crossed its not but it look very likely!
Doesn't sound like you are having much luck! hope u and ur horse r on the mend soon!

Didn't notice the bumps but didn't really look as saddle on them most of the time (if they were there) was just a thought!
 
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