In the United States, companion animal ownership has been steadily increasing. Between 2017 and 2018, around 48 million households (just over a third of total U.S. households) owned a total of 76 million dogs, while 32 million households owned a total of 58 million cats, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). These households combined made 257 million visits to a veterinarian annually. With each visit to the vet comes the risk of a beloved pet contracting an infection, the most common of which include canine parvovirus, canine distemper, canine influenza (or “dog flu”), and feline calicivirus (FCV). And in veterinary facilities, outbreaks of infectious diseases are not uncommon. This article will explain the importance of proper cleaning and disinfection in veterinary and animal care facilities and why Vital Oxide is the best disinfectant for the job. 

In a 2008 survey of 38 veterinary teaching hospitals, 80 percent reported an outbreak in the previous five years. Once an outbreak starts, the transmission of infectious diseases can be rapid and widespread, a situation we are all too familiar with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But in the case of animals, outbreaks are a frequent occurrence. For instance, in 2015, an outbreak of Canine Influenza A (H3N2) emerged in Chicago and spread rapidly through dog training classes, animal shelters, boarding kennels, and veterinary clinics, sickening over one thousand dogs. It’s thought that the particular strain of canine influenza had possibly arisen following the transmission to dogs of an avian influenza virus circulating in live bird markets in Southeast Asia. In 2016, it was discovered that infected dogs had spread the virus to cats in an Indiana shelter. By 2017, the virus had spread to animals in 10 states in the Midwest and South. While clinical signs were typical of dog flu – fever, loss of appetite, nasal discharge, coughing, and lethargy – some animals showed no signs or symptoms. 

Veterinary teams and animal care specialists already make critical efforts toward infection prevention and control. This includes standards of practice and other guidelines, from isolating infected patients and instrument sterilization to routine handwashing and personal protective equipment (PPE). However, keeping pets, families, veterinary professionals and communities safe from pathogens requires a comprehensive approach, and there is one element of infection prevention that can be overlooked in the day-to-day operations of a busy veterinary hospital or animal care facility: strict and effective cleaning and disinfection. 

In fact, a recent study found that 30% of animal hospitals did not clean cages between patients. 

Pathogens can survive on hard and soft surfaces for hours, days, or even weeks, so regular and correct cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are all essential practices to break the chain of transmission and stop the spread of infectious diseases. 

If the word “disinfectant” only brings to mind chlorine bleach, you may be surprised to learn about how far disinfection technology has come. Not only does chlorine bleach smell like, well, bleach, it’s also highly corrosive, a poor cleaning agent, and comes with a long list of health hazards. Exposure to bleach can give animals convulsions, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, eye irritation, significant respiratory irritation, and in some cases, death. All species are susceptible to the harmful effects of bleach, but birds are at an increased risk of succumbing to fumes from bleach. Not to mention, cleaning with bleach can create indoor air pollutants and degrade indoor air quality (IAQ) for everyone. 

Studies have also found that the faint smell of bleach can cause animals to go nose blind, which is equivalent to humans losing their sense of sight. Once an animal goes nose blind, they lose their ability to navigate and understand their surroundings, creating a fear-filled environment. 

There is a Better Way

Vital Oxide is an all-in-one EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant, all-purpose cleaner, NSF-certified (no rinse required) food-contact surface sanitizer, soft surface sanitizer, heavy-duty odor eliminator (highly effective against urine odors and more), mold and mildew remover, allergen neutralizer (effective against dog and cat dander), and more. Lately, Vital Oxide has been making headlines worldwide because of its versatility, effectiveness, and approval by the EPA for use against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19. 

Vital Oxide’s innovative formula contains no fragrance, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), sulfates, phthalates, dyes, allergens, ammonia, or bleach. Instead, Vital Oxide harnesses the power of oxygen – in the form of stabilized chlorine dioxide – to create a fast-acting, environmentally-friendly, effective broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. And while it has chlorine in its name, it’s very different from chlorine bleach. Unlike bleach, which has a harsh odor and forms trihalomethanes when mixed with water, making it extremely corrosive – chlorine dioxide breaks down into simple salt and creates no harmful byproducts, making it much less corrosive to surfaces and more versatile in a variety of application situations.

Vital Oxide earns the lowest toxicity level that the EPA gives for pesticide (disinfectant) applications – Category 4 – which means that you don’t need to wear a mask, gloves, or any other personal protection equipment while applying it for general use. Vital Oxide is not corrosive and will not degrade your veterinary equipment or exam tables. Chlorine bleach, however, is a Category 1 on the EPA toxicity rating system: highly toxic and corrosive to skin, eyes, and surfaces. 

There are many advantages to Vital Oxide over other types of disinfectants on the market today. First and foremost, with Vital Oxide, you don’t have to worry about exposing your colleagues, clients, or the animals in your care to harsh chemicals, noxious fumes, or harmful residues. 

Vital Oxide Ideal for Use In: 

• Animal Transport Vehicles
• Aquariums  
• Boarding Facilities & Kennels 
• Doggie Day Cares
• Grooming Salons 
• Rescue Shelters
• Pet Stores 
• Veterinary Clinics & Hospitals 
• Veterinary Examination Rooms & Equipment 
• Veterinary Teaching Hospitals
• Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers 
• Zoos 

Help Keep Contamination Out of Your Animal Care Facility 

Don’t let your facility become a site for bacteria, disease, and lost business. Preventing an outbreak should be a top priority. Vital Oxide kills:

Vital Oxide: Food-Contact Sanitizer | Contact Time: 60 Seconds 

• E. coli
• Staphylococcus Aureus  

Vital Oxide: Bacterial Disinfection | Contact Time: 10 Minutes

• Acinetobacter Baumannii 
• Bordetella Bronchiseptica 
• Chlamydia Psittaci 
• E. Coli 
• Klebsiella Pneumoniae 
• Legionella Pneumophila 
• Listeria 
• MRSA 
• Mycobacterium Bovis (BCG) 
• Penicillin-Resistant Strep 
• Pseudomonas Aeruginosa 
• Salmonella Enterica 
• Staphylococcus Aureus

Vital Oxide: Eliminates Fungi | Contact Time: 10 Minutes

• Aspergillus Niger (also known as “Black Mold”)
• Trichophyton Mentagrophytes 
• Trichophyton Rubrum

Vital Oxide: Carpet Sanitizer | Contact Time: 60 Minutes

• Enterobacter Aerogenes 
• Staphylococcus Aureus 

Vital Oxide: Virus Disinfection | Contact Time: 5 Minutes 

• Canine Distemper 
• Hantavirus (Prospect Hill Virus) 
• Hepatitis A 
• Hepatitis B 
• Hepatitis C 
• HIV Type 1 
• Influenza B 
• Murine Norovirus (MNV-1) 
• Norovirus Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
• Rotavirus 
• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) 
• SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) 
• Swine Influenza (H1N1)

Vital Oxide: Virus Disinfection | Contact Time: 10 Minutes 

• Adenovirus 1 
• Canine Adenovirus 1 
• Canine Coronavirus 
• Canine Influenza 
• Canine Parvovirus 
• Ebola 
• Feline Coronavirus 
• Felid Herpesvirus 1 
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis Virus 
• Feline Panleukopenia Virus 
• Herpes Simplex Virus 1 
• Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus 
• Rabies Virus

Final Thoughts

Set your animal care facility apart from the rest by creating a clean environment that promotes health and healing. Vital Oxide is gentle on users, animals, and equipment. It has the power to kill pathogens like Parvovirus, Rabies, Feline Calicivirus (FCV), and Canine Influenza – all without harsh chemicals, noxious fumes, or alarming safety warnings.