From:
Patti Devlin
Date: 2009-04-02 23:28:56 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Washing Feeding Syringes
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
I get mine at the vet. Everytime I get a new med he gives me a couple.
then I throw them out after.
I wouldn't use bleach, or alcohol as bleach and alcohol can degrade
the plastic (even hard plastic, having worked in an animal testing lab
and seeing the results on the hard plastic cages). Bleach is known to
create pores in plastic (polypropylene), and leave an odour (where
there is odour the compound is left behind). To be effective in a
killing microorganisms (I assume this is why you are using bleach) it
has to be in a concentration of 0.1%, anything less is pretty much
ineffective (here is a science project everyone can try at home http://www.umsl.edu/~microbes/pdf/bleach.pdf)
. Since the syringes are being used to put stuff into the bodies of
the furries, this concentration would be too high and so that is why I
wouldn't recommend it.
If you are going to use bleach (on other things other than syringes)
you also have watch that your 'bleach' is really bleach and not
something else. If it says its colour safe, its not bleach. Also if
there is anything else added to the bleach (fresh scent comes to mind)
then don't use that either.
Most places recommend 1:10 bleach solution (0.5% bleach). A 1:10
bleach solution is caustic, so avoid direct contact with skin and eyes.
Bleach fumes are a lung and eye irritant. Prepare your bleach
solutions in a well-ventilated area
Prepare bleach solutions daily - They lose their strength after 24
hours. Anytime the odor of chlorine is not present, discard the
solution.
Bleach is inactivated in the presence of organic matter - so clean up
dirt, hair, feces, etc. BEFORE using bleach.
Bleach should never be mixed with any other cleaners unless the label
says it is safe.
Repeated washing of metal bowls, cage wires, and silverware with
strong bleach solutions will cause discoloration and metal
deterioration. Use the 1:100 dilution of bleach or another product to
disinfect metals.
If you are going to use bleach you also have watch that your 'bleach'
is really bleach and not something else. If it says its colour safe,
its not bleach. Also if there is anything else added to the bleach
(free scent comes to mind) then don't use that either.
On 2-Apr-09, at 5:17 PM, Joanne D'Amico-Ritter wrote:
> I use dishwashing liquid with a bit of bleach in the wash water, and
> a very small bottle brush (I get them at Pottery Barn). I also use a
> pipe cleaner (which I get at Walgreen's, Walmart's, or anywhere they
> sell pipe tobacco or artificial flower arrangement supplies) to get
> the last bit of gunk out of the feeding tip. Then rinse, rinse,
> rinse under running water and let dry disassembled, lying on a
> couple of paper towels. If you can't find the small bottle brush, I
> used to take 2-3 pipe cleaners and bend them in a "U' - works fairly
> well. You can rinse, dry and re-use the same pipe cleaners several
> times. I am nursing just one ferret through feedings and meds, and
> it wears me out - good luck with so many !!!!
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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