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Writer's pictureAmy Davis

What are Kissing Spines?

What are ‘Kissing Spines’?


‘Kissing spines’ is a condition that is known to effect horses. The medical term is ‘overriding dorsal spinous processes (ORDSP’s)’, which describes a situation where the spinous processes of the vertebral bodies start coming closer together, and in some cases, start to touch or ‘kiss’, hence, ‘kissing spines’.


The X-ray image below indicates kissing spines involving 3 to 4 vertebrae. The slightly lighter areas at the sides of each vertebrae indicate ‘sclerosis’, which is a hardening of the bone in response to the pressure on either side of the vertebra from the kissing spines. This can cause pain and stiffness of the spine and surrounding soft tissues.







There are varying degrees of kissing spines, from mild cases to more severe cases and the condition is graded accordingly. Some horses with kissing spines may feel more pain than others, and their performance may be affected due to the presence of the condition.


Typically, kissing spines are most common in the area of the spine where the saddle and rider sit, in the ‘thoracic spine’.







Causes:

The exact cause of kissing spines is not known, but has been linked to poor conformation, genetic factors, poor saddle fit, poor training techniques, and subjecting a horse to high workloads before it has fully developed.


Diagnosis:

Kissing spines may be suspected in horses that present with lameness, poor performance, or behavioural changes, such as bucking, napping, reacting to being brushed or tacked up, being cold backed, resisting a contact, becoming disunited or stopping at fences. They are more likely to be sore when touching their backs.

The diagnosis is then confirmed by your vet via several methods. The most common exam is an X-ray of the spine (as seen above), but other investigations such as bone scanning (scintigraphy), heat sensing (thermography) and ultrasound may be useful as well.


Treatment:

In mild cases, physiotherapy can help to reduce muscle spasm, reduce pain, increase mobility of the spine, and develop abdominal strength. This can help improve the posture and stability of the spine, which in turn can take the pressure off the close or mildly kissing spines. Using correct training methods to encourage the horse to work long and low, introducing pole work or a water treadmill may also be beneficial to a horse with kissing spines, when performed under physiotherapy guidance.

Injections of anti-inflammatory substances by your vet, pain relieving medication and acupuncture may also help to alleviate the pain from kissing spines and can be a useful addition to physiotherapy.


In more severe cases, surgery may be an option. The more invasive surgery techniques have now largely been replaced with key-hole surgery, with the horse sedated in standing. An incision is made in the ligaments between the kissing spines, to allow the kissing spines to move apart slightly. The procedure is known as interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISLD) and is performed by qualified vets who have received the correct training. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation are very important after the surgery and must be carried out to ensure the best results.


Prognosis:

As would be expected, milder cases of kissing spines generally experience better outcomes than more severe cases. However, with careful management even more severe cases can be treated so that the horse experiences less pain and is able to enjoy some quality of life.


If you are concerned about changes in your horse’s behaviour, performance or way of going, and suspect your horse may have kissing spines or any other condition, please contact me or liaise with your vet for advice, and to discuss your horses treatment options.



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