X-rays of Tartines back

Casey76

Casey76

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So, after yet another osteo session where Tartine was uncomfortable underneath her whorl on her back I asked the vet to do some x-rays just to rule out any issues. Fortunately everything is clear... but I thought I'd post the pics in case anyone was interested :)


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If anyone is thinking about whether or not to get back X-rays I can tell you it takes 5 minutes with a mobile X-ray unit, nothing complicated at all :)
 
Compare this. Some stupid person actually accused me of causing this by the way I rode him. Poor boy was born with these huge thick processes without any room between them.

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Lovely clear x-rays I do not remember mine girls being that clear mine you she is built like a brick S House.

OP glad yours were ok.

Ycbm sorry yours were not so good I think my girls were between both of yours not bad enough to give up but just need to be aware and work on her posture and fitness which as she is so difficult is not easy.
 
SEL said:
How did you pick up there was a problem?
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He was mildly cold backed at four. At five he was very cold backed in winter and I installed heating lamps and warmed him up under them before I rode. He was fine at home, but in competitions he would buck/rear at some transitions and react strongly to some of the markers. I thought it was just competition stress and was told by a GP level judge that I need to 'get a man on him'. Thank heavens I ignored her! I promised him that the moment he showed discomfort at home after being warmed up under the lights, I would get his back x rayed. One day he wriggled as he walked off, and that was the x ray.

He was injected that day and the difference was astounding. But it wore off in days and from then he couldn't be ridden and was bucking violently. It was as if, having taken the pain away, he couldn't tolerate it coming back. Four bute did nothing, either.

I had the ligament snip operation done, and it worked, but before he was back in full work he gave himself two head fractures in two separate incidents, began to fit and I had him put down.

Sorry for the essay, I thought you might as well have it all!
 
Interesting Xrays C76.Friends horses xrays showed slight overcrowding with T6-T10 but not actually classed as KS.Currently being worked on long lines and gentle hacking.Vet said muscular problems over this area of back and saddle being looked as horse dropped weight and topline due to other issues although weight now back on. Believe xrays looked somewhere between your horses xrays and that of YCBMs horse.Due to go to vets for further asessment next week but looks promising at moment saw him on lunge last night and looking very good.
 
ycbm said:
He was mildly cold backed at four. At five he was very cold backed in winter and I installed heating lamps and warmed him up under them before I rode. He was fine at home, but in competitions he would buck/rear at some transitions and react strongly to some of the markers. I thought it was just competition stress and was told by a GP level judge that I need to 'get a man on him'. Thank heavens I ignored her! I promised him that the moment he showed discomfort at home after being warmed up under the lights, I would get his back x rayed. One day he wriggled as he walked off, and that was the x ray.

He was injected that day and the difference was astounding. But it wore off in days and from then he couldn't be ridden and was bucking violently. It was as if, having taken the pain away, he couldn't tolerate it coming back. Four bute did nothing, either.

I had the ligament snip operation done, and it worked, but before he was back in full work he gave himself two head fractures in two separate incidents, began to fit and I had him put down.

Sorry for the essay, I thought you might as well have it all!
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Essay appreciated actually! Ongoing problems with my PSSM horse and we're heading for a second opinion with a different vet and I'm thinking I might as well get a back x-ray done whilst we're there. In for a penny etc....

No idea whether the issue is muscular or skeletal, but investigations so far have been piecemeal and that's costing me a lot of money without getting me answers or a well horse. I'd rather have 1-2 days of investigations, a big bill and know what's wrong. I'm even wondering whether to have a muscle biopsy in case she's got something else to add to her n/p1.

Sorry Casey - will stop ranting on your thread! Glad T's x-rays went well. Did the vet have any ideas what the soreness related to?
 
SEL said:
Essay appreciated actually! Ongoing problems with my PSSM horse and we're heading for a second opinion with a different vet and I'm thinking I might as well get a back x-ray done whilst we're there. In for a penny etc....

No idea whether the issue is muscular or skeletal, but investigations so far have been piecemeal and that's costing me a lot of money without getting me answers or a well horse. I'd rather have 1-2 days of investigations, a big bill and know what's wrong. I'm even wondering whether to have a muscle biopsy in case she's got something else to add to her n/p1.

Sorry Casey - will stop ranting on your thread! Glad T's x-rays went well. Did the vet have any ideas what the soreness related to?
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I'm waiting for another full blood panel. This one has been done at complete rest (asked for full blood, plus muscle and liver panels), so I'll be able to see what her current enzyme levels are like.

However I'm also waiting for a hormone panel (which needs to be sent to the US!), which will indicate if T needs an oophorectomy, as her ovaries are abnormal.

I'm considering whether or not to test for P2 due to her inability to get any kind of topline no matter how much or what type of work she's in as well.
 
How did you find out her ovaries were abnormal? did you have a scan? That could be another thing to add to my list!

I think the Equiseq tests look quite straightforward if you can get the vet to draw blood for you. Knowing mine she'd probably come back with a raft of new 'Ps' to add to their myopathy collection.
 
SEL said:
How did you find out her ovaries were abnormal? did you have a scan? That could be another thing to add to my list!

I think the Equiseq tests look quite straightforward if you can get the vet to draw blood for you. Knowing mine she'd probably come back with a raft of new 'Ps' to add to their myopathy collection.
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Yes, she had an ultrasound. The left ovary is the size of a clenched fist and is multilobar, the right ovary has signs of either a cyst or a persistent follicle which has become encapsulated.

As she never shows signs of being in season and due to the lack of canter/disunited/bunny hopping behind, the vet thinks there is a small possibility of a GTC tumour. If she has a tumour she will need an oophorectomy, if not then we will monitor for behavioural and performance changes as she may need the surgery in the future.

The ultrasound was cheap... the hormone test is not!

The Equiseq test looks interesting, if expensive. I was thinking (hoping!) I could use my finger stick pen to get capiliary blood... but if you need true venous blood it would be another vet visit.
 
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SEL said:
Essay appreciated actually! Ongoing problems with my PSSM horse and we're heading for a second opinion with a different vet and I'm thinking I might as well get a back x-ray done whilst we're there. In for a penny etc....

No idea whether the issue is muscular or skeletal, but investigations so far have been piecemeal and that's costing me a lot of money without getting me answers or a well horse. I'd rather have 1-2 days of investigations, a big bill and know what's wrong. I'm even wondering whether to have a muscle biopsy in case she's got something else to add to her n/p1.

Sorry Casey - will stop ranting on your thread! Glad T's x-rays went well. Did the vet have any ideas what the soreness related to?
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The x rays cost £150 and would have been well worth it for peace of mind even if they had been clear. In your shoes, I would do them.

Mine was never lame, and had such stunning paces (bred for GP dressage) that none of us noticed he wasn't over tracking as far as he was capable of. But he did have an odd forelimb flight on his right leg, where the top of the leg stayed straight but the cannon swung inwards. That disappeared after the operation, so was clearly linked with it pulling on his back to extend his foreleg.
 
ycbm said:
The x rays cost £150 and would have been well worth it for peace of mind even if they had been clear. In your shoes, I would do them.

Mine was never lame, and had such stunning paces (bred for GP dressage) that none of us noticed he wasn't over tracking as far as he was capable of. But he did have an odd forelimb flight on his right leg, where the top of the leg stayed straight but the cannon swung inwards. That disappeared after the operation, so was clearly linked with it pulling on his back to extend his foreleg.
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Did either of his parents have similar issues or was it just bad luck genetically? I agree that a few £100s is worth it for peace of mind. Very sad that yours couldn't be sorted, but I think he'd have been grateful to have an owner that realised he was hurting - too easy to say they are being naughty :-(
 
SEL said:
Did either of his parents have similar issues or was it just bad luck genetically? I agree that a few £100s is worth it for peace of mind. Very sad that yours couldn't be sorted, but I think he'd have been grateful to have an owner that realised he was hurting - too easy to say they are being naughty :-(
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His father was Riccione, who was exported to the US. His videos show a fabulous mover and he competed GP. His mother, as I remember, was very highly graded, but I don't know her competition record. But I have g big suspicions that breeding for the 'up of the floor' movement that everyone is trying to get is producing more of them. My friend has one, German dressage breeding, and i strongly suspect her elite 30 grand dressage mare as well, and a local trainer had two out of three fail last year on pre purchase vetting where he insisted on spine x rays.

I'm not at all sure I believe it's not genetic. Most things are. Why not close DSPs in a horse that's too young for it to have been created by work? I'm not sure we've had enough research yet to know.
 
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