TABLE 13-1.
Disinfectants and Antiseptics Commonly Used to Treat Ferrets and their Environment
| Agent | Use | Spectrum of action | Key characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohols | Antiseptic/disinfectant | Bactericidal | Safe; used alone or in combination; physical dirt inhibits action; cytotoxic |
| Aldehydes | |||
| Formaldehyde | Disinfectant | Sporicidal | Poor penetration; noxious fumes |
| Glutaraldehyde | Disinfectant | Sporicidal | Organic matter slows action; good action against biofilms; used for sterilization of heat-labile instruments |
| Chlorhexidine | Antiseptic | Bactericidal/static, limited fungicidal and limited virucidal | Low toxicity; residual effects; unaffected by organic matter; used on skin wounds and mucous membranes; ototoxic to middle ear |
| Ethylene oxide | Disinfectant | Sporicidal | Gas sterilization of heat-labile equipment; toxic; mutagenic; carcinogenic; ocular and mucous membrane irritant |
| Halogens | |||
| Chlorine | Disinfectant | Bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal | Sodium hypochlorite used commonly; activity affected by organic matter, soap, or hard water; inexpensive |
| Iodine | Antiseptic/disinfectant | Bactericidal, fungicidal, protozoacidal, somewhat virucidal and sporicidal | Activity affected by organic matter, soap or hard water; cytotoxic |
| Iodophors | Antiseptic | Bactericidal | Better penetration of organic matter; sustained release; used on skin wounds or mucous membranes; potential toxicity through use on large open wounds or in body cavities |
| Hydrogen peroxide | |||
| 3% | Antiseptic | Bacteriostatic | Wound irrigant; cytotoxic; poor antibacterial activity |
| 58% | Disinfectant | Sporicidal | Plasma sterilization of heat-labile equipment; safe; expensive |
| Quaternary ammonia Compounds | Disinfectant | Bacteriostatic; particularly Gram-positive | Narrow margin of safety; high concentrations can cause skin irritation or burns; activity affected by organic matter |
| tris-EDTA | Antiseptic | Bactericidal; particularly Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus) | Potentiates effects of chlorhexidine in lavage solutions; inexpensive; decreases the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for listed bacteria with select antibiotics in vitro |
Data from Boothe HW: Antiseptics and disinfectants, Vet Clin North Amer: Small Anim Pract 28(2):233-248, 1998.
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