>Hi Danee,
>You made a couple of comments in the Sunday FML that I find confusing.
>Maybe you can explain.
>>Remember - bleach and parvocides are not effective in cleaning porous
>>surfaces like carpeting and cloth. They are only completely effective
>>on hard surfaces.
>I have never heard that parvocide and bleach are only effective in
>cleaning hard, non-pourous surfaces.
Have you ever looked around your vet's office and noticed that all
surfaces are non-porous? You will only see stainless steel and other
hard surfaces, because they are the only things that can be effectively
cleaned by wiping them down with a disinfectant.
Most parvocide containers say right on the instructions that they are
not completely effective in disinfecting porous surfaces, including skin
and cloth. I know that Parvolan does (the one I usually use), and I have
been told most others do as well.
From what Dr. Stevenson said (and other medical professionals have told
me the same thing) washing hands vigorously in soap and hot water will do
as much good as washing them in a bleach solution or parvocide. The soap
and hot water does not kill the virus, but the hot water opens the skins
pores and the soap and rubbing action loosen and lift off the germs.
The same goes for clothing and bedding. Soaking them in a parvocide or
bleach solution won't hurt, but running them through the washer on a
vigorous cycle with soap and hot water should also done, to lift off any
particles and rinse them away.
>>However, if furniture isn't replaced, she suggested at least having it
>>thoroughly steam cleaned once, and maybe even twice.
>How can steam cleaning possibly be effective if bleach and parvocides
>are not? Are you then recommending that all pourour surfaces should be
>steam-cleaned, rather than using bleach and parvocide? At what temp
>does the steam have to be to "kill" the ADV virus?
The steam cleaning doesn't kill the virus. As above, the steam loosens
dirt particles (and germs) and the suction of the cleaning then removes
them. This is probably not 100% effective, but if done, will lessen the
chances of there being virus germs, and if done more then once, will
increase the chances. It is one of those situations where doing
something is better then doing nothing, even though the something may not
be 100% effective.
Also, most of the parvocides sold in the US for veterinary use have not
been tested on ADV. The container will list all viruses that the product
is proven to kill, and none of the ones I have seen list ADV. I am sure
that mink ranchers use a parvocide that has been tested against ADV, but
I haven't found it, yet. This doesn't mean that the parvocides we use
(like Parvolan) won't work, though. They are broad spectrum anti-viral
agents, and most likely will work on all parvo viruses, as well as many
others viruses. But, it does mean that they have not been tested on
ADV, and that their effectiveness is unknown. Dr. Stevenson felt that
any of the broad spectrum parvocides sold for veterinary use would be
acceptable, as is a 10% bleach water solution, for killing the ADV virus.
In answer to Robin's question, I don't know if the negatives in my
household are carriers of ADV or not. We have sent blood and saliva
samples from them to the U of GA at various times, and they have always
tested negative for both antibodies and antigen, which would indicate
that they are not carriers. However, because there has not been enough
research on this question, I would not make the assumption that they can
not be carriers. For now, all of my ferrets are treated as though they
are positive.
Danee
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
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[Posted in FML issue 4118]
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