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Someone said: "you can recognize a true Lord from his horse, from his falcon and from his sighthound ....." I would like to thank Dr. Matthew Baldan, veterinarian from Padua, for having made available this useful article which speaks of hawks yes but whose notions of hygiene are interesting especially for people living with more animals :-)
The bibliography is available from the author
Matteo Baldan,veterinarian, Padova , DVM
DISINFECTANTS AND ANTISEPTICS
We italians often and willingly say "prevention is better than cure". I would like to do this exposing the various diseases that may affect our hawks, explaining what they are, as they occur, as we care, but insisting especially on how to prevent them!
What better occasion of my first article about www.lafalconeria.it to talk about disinfection and cleaning of the environment?
The first question is: What characteristics should be the place where I keep my hawk?
The ideal is the result of hygiene safetyness and convenience, so a place should be like this:
Without edges, where the hawk could beat,
with smooth walls easily washable (tiles, plastic, etc.).
with easily washable floor (plastic, tiles, but also ghiaino river, grass)
devoid of places where could deposit dirt..
Possibly , in the case of farms, it's necessary to have a place of quarantine / infirmary, where isolate those patients, suspected or newly introduced or not so healthy.
Now we continue with the second question: How can I clean the place where I keep my falcon?
The substance basis for this phase is " elbow oil" :-) . Well known to our grandmothers, this substance has fallen into disuse with the progress of science and the acquisition of new techniques, but in my opinion is always useful and effective: it does not give antibiotic resistance, is not toxic for animals to man them , and taken in small doses is also good, he makes slimming and tonic muscles, a real good thing!!!!!!
Generally disinfection of the environment should be made in the absence of the animals of the cause for less stress as possible, perhaps taking advantage of a beautiful sunny day in which our friend is in the garden.
First you have to remove all the organic materials (feces, urine, blood, pus, etc.) that often cancel the action of disinfectants. Please give special attention to corners. Who has steamcleaner is very advantaged. Following my advice is to make a first wash with water, preferably hot, so as to remove further organic waste, and then deal with a disinfectant (the various families and their spectrum of action we will see them later).
The application can be done directly bathing areas, or to spray the product (useful if you have local large, even to shoulder the tanks used in agriculture).
After the application of disinfectant you can wait a few minutes and then rinse thoroughly with hot water first and then cold, to cool the environment.
During this last phase if you've used caustic products for skin and eyes, make particular attention to spray it ! In the case wash with plenty of cold water, although there hurts, and contact your doctor or guard for medical advice or assistance!
After cleaning better dry as possible, this will eliminate the last remaining substances possibly present and to prevent dust-free.
So much for the use of liquid substances. But there are other products on the market sanificanti that are smoke candles. In this case is the exhaustive ABSENCE of the animals necessary and the operator has to use this products CAREFULLY! The active ingredients are more varied, formaldehyde or until antimicotici.
The candle is placed at the center of the room and windows, cracks and doors must be closed. If there are shares discoveries, should be closed with drapes of plastic. After the lighting of candles the operator must leave the room and wait for the time listed on the label. Finally aerate the room well before returning and ristabulare animals.
Third question: how can I clean and the various equipment ?
So, here the things are a little bit easier because they are smaller pieces, more transportable so you can wash them frequently. Most of the families owns that technological wonder - that I can not use - which is callethe dishwasher, so all that is metal or thermoresistant can be washed once in this way, and then be disinfected with suitable products. In this case, however, rinsing will be as accurate as possible especially if they are objects that will be in contact with food.
To better understand the part that follows you would need a basic of microbiology, but it would be too long pause to talk about these topics. Suffice to know that microorganisms are divided into six groups: algae, bacteria and Cyanobacterial, protozoa, viruses and fungi. Each group has its specific features that characterize among other things resistance to disinfectants:
The bacteria are unicellular organisms prokaryotes (with the nucleus). The spores are their forms of resistance. Examples of bacterial diseases are the colibacillosi and salmonellosis.
Viruses are very simple living beings that need to infect a cell for their moltiplicazione.Malattie are viral influenza Bird flu and Newcastle disease.
The mushrooms are bodies pluricellulari eukaryotes. The best known is the pathology micotica Aspergillosis.
The protozoa are unicellular organisms prokaryotes typical example is the tricomoniasi
A last warning, as far as possible I'd like to invite you always to read the labels of products purchased from beginning to the end, even the name of the producer, with address and whatever else. It 'a good habit that certainly goes more experience, not only in our case, but for everything we buy, from food. In this way you can know exactly what the product contains, in what quantities, get an idea of how and what acts may cause, as is used.
Let's talk about disinfectants!
It's good to know that usually when we talk of disinfectants, it refers to substances acting GERMICIDE used on inanimate surfaces while antiseptics means substances germicide used on organic tissue to suppress or prevent microbial infections. Sometimes the same compound can be used as an antiseptic and as a disinfectant depending on its concentration, exposure conditions, the amount of microorganisms present, and so forth. An example? Let us suppose that the substance X is an excellent Germicidal but that its minimum concentration needed is higher than the concentration that is toxic to the animal, it is clear that can not be used as an antiseptic as do more harm than good! The then use as a disinfectant, perhaps using the appropriate precautions So ... it's clear, unused preparations for the disinfection facilities to clean the wounds of hawks! Use appropriate preparations!
After this notions let's talk about the different compounds that we can use to keep clean everything that we use with and for our falcon.
There is no disinfectant better than another in theory but in practice the diggerence exists, in the sense that each and every preparation active ingredient has its own characteristics and therefore better suited to disinfect a material and an area rather than another, better suited to be used in a certain environment, etc..
Ideally antiseptics and disinfectants should have a broad spectrum of action (in other words should be able to destroy the greatest possible variety of microorganisms), a powerful Germicidal activity, a rapid and prolonged in time.
They should be stable under different environmental conditions and preserve the effectiveness even in the presence of organic material. In addition, disinfectants should not destroy the areas on which they are applied and the bad smells, the colors (but not always true) and the ability to stain tissues should be minimal or absent.
How do they work? Most of these compounds denatured proteins intracellular bacteria alters the cell membranes and inhibits the enzymes.
Let's now talk about the "families" of disinfectants:
ACID / ALCOHOLS: ACID have bactericidal activity at pH lower than 3. They are used inorganic strong acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid, but their use is limited by corrosive, inorganic acids weak ionized not easily penetrate and destroy cell membranes.
The ALCALI have bactericidal activity at pH greater than 9 and inhibit most bacteria and viruses. The hydroxides sodium and calcium are used as disinfectants but due from the caustic irritant and can not be used as antiseptics on tissues. A solution of lisciva soda to 2% in hot water is used in disinfection against the most common pathogens such as those responsible for cholera aviare and pullurosi, but must be handled carefully because it is EXTREMELY CAUSTIC! The lime dissolved in water is used in the disinfection of environments.
ALCOHOLS: their antimicrobial effect is linked to liposolubility and ability to precipitate proteins protoplasmatiche (you ever tried to put a little 'of egg white in pure alcohol food?). They are inactive on bacterial spores. Most are used ethyl alcohol (70%) and isopropyl (50%), at concentrations greater forgiveness of effectiveness.
The BIGUANIDI: of this group is part chlorhexidine, a compound that has Germicidal activities on many gram + and some gram - but is not effective against spores, fungi and many viruses. Determines the destruction of cytoplasmic membrane, but its activity decreases in the presence of organic material as pus, blood, etc.. In the market are different preparations, from detergents to skin those earphones, ointments and more. It 'a more topical disinfectants used in surgery and for the disinfection of superficial wounds.
AGENTS OSSIDANTI: peroxides and halogens.
-- Peroxides: carrying their action through the issuance of nascent oxygen that alters the bacterial proteins. They have virtually activities against spores. Inattivati from contact with organic material. I am Hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide), sodium perborate, benzoide peroxide, potassium permanganate.
-- Halogens are mainly iodine and chlorine that ossidano proteins protoplasmatiche and interfere with vital metabolic reactions. The iodine presents a broad spectrum of action and low toxicity tissue, preparation or in tincture or as iodofori (povidone-iodine for example) water-soluble, with detergents, umettanti and other carriers, much used as antiseptics skin before the surgery. The iodofori not burn and does not stain, are little irritants and istolesivi but can corrode metal, very active against viruses, bacteria and fungi, but less against spores.
The chlorine is more irritating to skin and mucous membranes, and this is much used in disinfection that nell'antisepsi. The preparation most famous is certainly the solution of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that decomposes the light and is used at concentrations which are sold as a disinfectant.
HEAVY METALS: especially mercury and silver, are commercially prepared to use some antiseptic, not irritate and not the istolesive.
FENOLI: denature proteins and poisons are protoplasmatici. The phenol pure depending on the dilution has bacteriostatic activity, and also bactericidal sporicida. At concentrations above 5% is highly irritating, if ingested or used on large areas is toxic and can lead to death. He has a good penetration power in organic materials and these particularities is widely used in the disinfecting equipment. The hexachlorophene has action against many gram positive but few gram negative, widely used in medicated soaps. Ingestion dell'esaclorofene gives acute toxicity.
AGENTS mainly formaldehyde which is a gas and glutaraldehyde which is an oily compound at room temperature. They are toxic and caustic with a wide spectrum of action including the spores, do not diminish their effectiveness in the presence of organic material and not the corrosive metal, paint and textiles. I am very used for disinfecting equipment. There are marketing preparations for the fumigation of environments, ranging used with extreme caution because of their toxicity. Always remember to aerate well environments after their use.
COMPOUND SURFACTANTS: anionic and cationic play their action by altering the balance electrolyte membrane. They are used as antiseptics, disinfectants, emulsifiers, detergents and umettanti.
That overview of the various families, port your attention to certain commercial products highly effective, but that can not be included in these families because mixtures of several agents:
Virkon ®: it has a very broad spectrum, including viruses and fungi. Not toxic and non-corrosive, is used spruzzandolo on surfaces. I would recommend to aerate environments after disinfection and not to use it with animals present.
Steramina G ®: Alchildimetilbenzilammonio chloride, a powerful disinfectant with fast-acting and long, active bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa. It is used for disinfecting rooms and equipment sprayed on surfaces. It is not toxic, corrosive or irritant.
F10 ®: This is a line of disinfectants and antiseptics occurring in different formulations and different commercial diuluizioni. You use both as a disinfectant appliances and accessories is as antiseptic hand, skin, etc.. It has broad spectrum of activity, acting against battei, spores, and viruses. It is not irritating to skin and eyes and is biodegradable.
Last but not least: hot water! Nobody takes the ever considered, but the hot water has power disinfectant denaturando bacterial plasma proteins.
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