Keratex hoof putty - tips for use?

[soloequestrian]

Just bought some of this today, hoping I'll be able to use it to fill the hole left by my mare's operation for septic pedal osteitis (10 weeks ago now and still bandaging....). Any tips for use or does it just work exactly as it says on the tin?

Thanks!

 

[xena_wales]

Oh, sorry, I forgot to get back to you about this!! I used to get it nice and warm before use by leaving it on the storage heater - it gets really pliable and sticky then. If you shove it in when it's cold it doesn't seem to stick so well. Then just let it set a bit before turning out if it's in a place where it's likely to get stuff stuck in it straight away.

I did find that it would fall out after a few days though, but never managed to find a better solution.

My lad's abscess hole has all been cut away now after the farrier visit yesterday, so hopefully no more putty needed for us. I did find that it would fall out after a few days though.

Hope your mare is recovering ok?

 

[Donkeymad]

Yep, warm it up.Either place it somewhere warm (not hot) or dig a lump out and roll it in your hands for a minute. Make sure the hole surface is clean and dry and really press it in.

 

[soloequestrian]

Thanks for these.
She is doing well, thanks. There is still a hole in the bottom of her foot, like big abscess hole, and a tiny sinus track up to the hole drilled in her hoof wall. A couple of weeks ago it was looking so good that I started using dry dressings until I realised that one of the 'healed' bits was actually a flap and there was a bit of infection behind it. Cue near nervous breakdown and a few days of tubbing. The vet said this is normal though. She has had wet dressings and savlon in the hole ever since but because that means a bandage all the time, the rest of her foot is getting a bit manky - really needs some air and ground contact. My trimmer reckons it won't all really heal fully until the whole lot has grown out, which will be several months yet.
Does the putty give you any sort of warning before it falls out?

 

[xena_wales]

Does the putty give you any sort of warning before it falls out?

Didn't with me, I'd bring him in to find a hole full of mud instead of putty In the early days I used a small bung of folded kitchen towel right up in the deepest bit of the hole so that if the putty fell out then the mud wouldn't get too far up. I found this better than cotton wool as cotton wool left fibres everywhere, but I wouldn't have thought cotton wool fibres would actually cause a problem.

Probably going to be trial and error, but I was almost in tears a few times when the hole that I had carefully poulticed and kept clean for weeks on end came back in stuffed with mud

But mine was on a slightly manic 3yo - yours might be calmer and keep it in better.