Kissing Spines Surgical Outcomes

Surgical intervention for kissing spines can significantly improve welfare in appropriately selected cases, though rehabilitation protocols are critical to outcomes.

Key Facts

Interspinous ligament desmotomy (ISLD) widens the space between overriding dorsal spinous processes, reducing pain
Bone resection (removing the tip of offending spinous processes) provides more definitive relief in severe cases
Success rates for returning horses to ridden work after surgery range from 60-80% in published case series
Extended rehabilitation of 6-9 months post-surgery is essential — early return to work risks relapse
Physiotherapy and targeted muscle-building exercises are critical components of post-surgical rehabilitation
Surgery is most beneficial when multiple other pain sources have been excluded and imaging confirms clinical correlation

Welfare Considerations

Kissing spines surgical welfare requires careful patient selection to ensure that the welfare benefit of the procedure justifies the anaesthetic risk and rehabilitation burden. Surgery provides maximum welfare benefit when the anatomical diagnosis correlates with clinical signs, other pain sources have been excluded, and rehabilitation capacity is available to support the extended recovery process. Poorly selected surgical cases — where other pain sources continue to affect the horse post-operatively — produce poor welfare outcomes despite technically successful procedures. The welfare investment in extended rehabilitation is non-negotiable: horses returned to full work too rapidly after kissing spines surgery regularly relapse due to inadequate muscle development around the treated vertebral segments. Post-surgical physiotherapy building specific topline musculature is the foundation of durable welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Ensure comprehensive diagnostic workup including radiography, clinical examination, and pain assessment before surgical decisions
Commit to the full recommended rehabilitation period post-surgery — early return to work significantly increases relapse risk
Engage a veterinary physiotherapist to design and supervise post-surgical rehabilitation including targeted muscle-building exercises
Evaluate rider biomechanics before return to work — unbalanced riding that exacerbated kissing spines pre-surgery will affect outcomes
Set realistic expectations with your vet — success rates are positive but not universal; individual horse factors influence prognosis