Kissing spine is a back disease most often found in racehorses, but it is also seen in breeds developed from English Thoroughbreds, including Warmbloods, Quarter horses, Apaloosas and paints. It causes severe back pain, usually along the vertebrae of the spine at the withers. Kissing spine occurs when two or more bony projections at the top of the vertebrae touch or overlap.
A new genetic test, using X-rays, was investigated to identify whether there was a common genetic pattern in 155 horses diagnosed with kissing spine. The X-rays from these horses were graded to measure the severity of the kissing spine in each horse, with a score of 4 for a severe case and 0 for a horse that showed no signs of the disease on the X-ray of its withers and spinal column.
Kissing spine is not a new disease. It was described in horses in England centuries ago and considered a diagnosis of permanent unsoundness. It was known to be associated with racehorses and sometimes Warmbloods used for showjumping, eventing and dressage, but occasionally seen in Western horses.
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