>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Judging and cleaning fluid
>
>Someone wrote a while back about a fluid used at shows by the judges that
>kills any virus and bacteria.  ?How long does it have to remain on the
>tables to take effect?  Is it not at least 10 minutes between each ferret?
 
Your concern is correct.  Although some of the show sponsors have been
using a disinfectant such as ParvoLan which is indeed a parvocide, the
products are being used in a manner that will not kill all viruses.
 
Parvolan and others that perform the same function do indeed need some
10 minutes kill every bacteria and virus.  They are also made for
non-porous surfaces and designed to be allowed to dry on rather than
be wiped up.  If used in a food processing situation they are supposed
to be rinsed away later.
 
We contacted the the distributors of ParvoLan and talked to the
technical expert there.  He said that these caustic substances should
not be used on hands.  It says that on the label as well.  His
recommendation was a anti-bacterial soap for the hands and using
parvolan (or a competitor's product) on the table.  In the spray and
wipe situation you can not kill all of the virus.  Any product that
could kill them that quickly would also destroy the table and probably
kill the judge so that isn't a good idea either.
 
Perhaps what is needed is a different approach or modification of how
judges use the table surface.  Currently we use a single mostly non-porous
mat.  Perhaps we could take a cue from the medical field and use something
like those tear off paper rolls used on those bed/couches.  Or we could
have numerous mats that we disinfect between uses but also switch off
between ferrets letting them have a longer time for the disinfectant to
work.
 
There is no way to make shows absolutely safe.  There is no way to make
anything absolutely safe though either.  Unless you are a hermit with
your ferrets, if you expose your ferrets or even yourself to other
ferrets or other animals you expose them to a disease vector.
 
>I would like my vet to purchase some for me to take with me when I visit
>him and other vets.  I have only seen the examination tables cleaned twice
>in all the years and all the vets I have seen.  I have NEVER seen a vet
>wash his or her hands.  I am afraid of my guys getting the Aleutians
>disease poor White Russian has.
 
Your vet does indeed wash his hands and disinfect his exam tables.  But he
or she doesn't necessarily do that in front of you.  The vet would have
washed his hands before entering the exam room.  The tables would have been
cleaned (by assistants usually) after one client leaves but before another
is called in.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 3221]