Disinfection and Pets During the Pandemic
Due to the impact of the pandemic, besides everyone trying to minimize going out, maintaining good personal hygiene is also very important. Various disinfectant products such as alcohol, alcohol wet wipes, and hypochlorous acid sprays have become household essentials. The first thing many people do after returning home from outside is to disinfect their entire body.
However, our furry companions often accompany us when we go out, which naturally raises concerns for pet owners about bacteria and viruses attaching to their pets. So, is the disinfection method for pets the same as for humans? Is it safe to disinfect dogs directly with alcohol?
What Are the Principles of Disinfection? Can Dogs Be Sprayed with Alcohol?
When it comes to disinfection, the first thing most people think of is the easily accessible "alcohol." The principle of disinfection is to use proper disinfection methods to eliminate most microorganisms on the surfaces of objects or items that we come into contact with daily. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria to a safe level, thereby achieving effective disinfection.
Common disinfection methods include washing hands with soap, alcohol, bleach, and hypochlorous acid water. Alcohol, also known as ethanol, kills bacteria and viruses by dehydrating, coagulating, and denaturing their proteins, which results in disinfection. Soap dissolves the lipids on the outer layer of viruses; once this lipid protection is lost, the viral structure breaks down and becomes inactive. Following this, rinsing with water can remove most of the bacteria on the surface.
Bleach primarily contains sodium hypochlorite, which destroys nuclear protein activity through strong oxidation, inhibiting the activity of pathogens. The disinfection principle of hypochlorous acid water is similar to that of bleach, and both are mainly used for environmental cleaning and should be avoided on the human body.
Common disinfectants such as alcohol, bleach, and hypochlorous acid water are not suitable for use on pets or in pet environments. Regarding alcohol, pets cannot metabolize it, which causes toxicity in their bodies and can lead to alcohol poisoning. This condition may result in liver failure and, in severe cases, death. If pets are exposed to excessive alcohol in the home environment, they may exhibit symptoms such as vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, slow heartbeat, lowered body temperature, heart attacks, and even loss of consciousness.
Spraying alcohol directly on pets can also cause corneal burns and severe allergic skin inflammation. Therefore, alcohol is quite dangerous for pets. This danger is even greater when considering bleach, which can be highly irritating to human respiratory systems, let alone pets.
The Impact of Alcohol Disinfection on Pets
Can you use alcohol to disinfect your pet's home environment, toys, and feeding utensils if you are not allowed to spray alcohol directly on dogs or other furry friends? The answer is, of course, no!
If pets chew on toys, eat from bowls wiped with alcohol, or directly consume food or drinks containing alcohol, they risk alcohol poisoning. For example, overripe fruits that have fermented or sprouted potatoes can produce alcohol. There have even been cases abroad where dogs died after eating fermented fruit from kitchen waste.
Moreover, even if alcohol is not sprayed directly on pets, using alcohol-based disinfectants in the household where pets live can cause discomfort such as coughing and sneezing if the environment is not well ventilated.
If alcohol spraying is not recommended, you should also avoid using alcohol or bleach around your furry friend's living space. So how should you disinfect your pet's body and surroundings? Should you bathe your pet three times a day and scrub the floor daily with soapy water? What about toys and plushies that are not suitable for washing with soap and water?
Do not use alcohol spray on dogs as it can lead to alcohol poisoning, eye injury, and in severe cases, death.
Proper Disinfection Methods to Protect Pet Health
To protect the health of your furry friends, it's important to use the correct disinfection methods. Besides conventional cleaning liquids such as alcohol and bleach, many households prefer choosing more natural cleaning solutions to avoid skin irritation or respiratory problems.
One such option is disinfectant solutions containing silver ions. These are relatively safer for adults, children, and pets alike. For pets, whether applied directly to their bodies or used in their living environment, these natural-based disinfectants provide a much safer way to sanitize.
There is no need to worry about respiratory discomfort or accidental licking because the ingredients are natural and do not pose the health risks associated with harsher chemicals.
Therefore, when taking your pets outside, you can carry wet wipes to clean dirt from their bodies and paws—just be sure not to use wipes that contain alcohol. Although bathing your dog with specially formulated dog shampoo and water remains the cleanest method, it is generally recommended to bathe dogs no more than once a week.
Bathing too frequently can reduce the natural oils on their skin, which are important for skin protection. In summary, bathing your dog once or twice a month is sufficient. For regular cleaning and disinfection after outings, using a natural ingredient antibacterial spray is enough.
While thorough bathing is the best way to clean, over-bathing can lead to insufficient sebum production, which may harm your dog's skin health.
