Dear Parrots magazine,
Disinfection – which ones?
In a letter in your November issue, a reader asked for more information regarding different disinfection applications using iodine-based compounds and F10 disinfectants, and also mentioned F10’s efficacy against coronavirus. I hope the following information will be useful to her.
Iodophors, a range of solutions containing iodine, have been used in both human and veterinary medicine for many generation, but have generally been superseded in the veterinary field by more efficient, user-friendly products. Whilst iodine-based disinfectants do have good antimicrobial properties and can be safely used on tissue in limited quantities, as Ms Gadd noted they can stain heavily, be it skin, fur, and feathers, or most surfaces. With prolonged, heavy use they can also damage materials and skin (special emollients are added to products used in the dairy industry, for example). Iodophors are therefore no longer used for ‘everyday’ disinfection in animal care and specific products are only used for skin preparation and wound care.
The F10 range of veterinary disinfectants also offers a broad spectrum kill of pathogens, but unlike iodine-based disinfectants there are no adverse side-effects on skin, feathers, or surfaces when used at recommended concentrations. F10 disinfectants are non-staining, non-irritant and non-corrosive, and do not require ‘washing off’, in fact for maximum disinfection they can safely be allowed to air dry. They are therefore suitable for specific disinfection tasks, and as part of ‘everyday’ hygiene regimes, in the home and bird room, as well as in veterinary surgeries. F10SC Veterinary Disinfectant was also proven effective against coronavirus in independent testing at a dilution rate of 1:250, confirming the efficacy and cost-effective attributes which Ms Gadd highlighted. I hope this helps your readers.
Dr Brian Stockdale BVM&S MRCVS
Veterinary advisor,
Meadow’s Animal Healthcare