Evaluation of heat as part of an aseptic preparation protocol for the hoof

Summary Objectives To evaluate the effectiveness of a two‐step hoof sterilisation protocol consisting of povidone–iodine (PI) scrub followed by dry heat application in reducing bacterial contamination in equine hooves. Study design Ex vivo experimental study with limited clinical application. Sample population Nine cadaveric equine limbs and description of five clinical cases. Methods Hooves were frozen, thawed, rehydrated and recontaminated with faecal material to mimic in vivo clinical conditions. Core tissue samples were collected from the dorsal hoof wall (DHW), sole (SOL) and frog (FRG) at three timepoints: after recontamination (T0), after a 6‐min PI preparation (T1) and after 4‐min dry heat application at 200°C (T2). The effect of heat alone was evaluated in three additional limbs. Internal tissue temperature was monitored during heat application. Bacterial loads were quantified as log 10 CFU/g. Statistical analyses included Friedman tests and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests with Bonferroni correction. Results Bacterial counts decreased by 94.4% between T0 and T1 ( p < 0.001), 98.0% between T1 and T2 (p < 0.001), and by 99.9% between T0 and T2 ( p < 0.00001). Heat alone produced reductions of 98–99%; in the sole and frog responses were more variable. Internal tissue temperatures remained within physiological limits throughout the procedure. The two‐step protocol was applied in five clinical cases without complications or surgical site infections. Main limitations Ex vivo study design and limited clinical case numbers. Conclusion The sequential application of PI scrub and a controlled dry heat protocol substantially reduced bacterial contamination across all regions of this surgical site model while the temperature of live tissues remained within a physiological range.