Radiologic findings consistent with kissing spines syndrome in Chilean thoroughbreds horses.

Abstract

Alterations in the thoracolumbar spine of racehorses are frequent and oftenthey significantly decrease the athletic performance of affected horses. The most common thoracolumbar alteration in thoroughbred horses is kissing spines syndrome (KSS). The narrowing of the interespinous space, generally located between T14-T15 and T15-T16, produces this syndrome. A radiographic study was performed at 30 thoroughbred horses on the segment between T12 and T18. Two latero-lateral views of the T12 to T18 segment were taken with a digital equipment to each horse. The images were analyze and the radiographic findings established the KSS according to a grading scale. The study sample was homogeneous and the results were similar to other radiographic findings of KSS occurring in segments T14-T15 and T15-16.