from: Chlorhexidine Facts: Mechanism of Action
CHLORHEXIDINE is one of the most widely used antiseptic disinfectants. It is used in medical and veterinary settings, pre and post-operative, and in oral care products.
Chlorhexidine is available in several forms. Ghlorhexidine Glutonate (CHG) is most often used in animal care applications. It is the active ingredient in several medicated shampoos for groomers, notably ShowSeason Soothe Shampoo.
ACTIONS: CHG is very broad spectrum against nearly all bacteria and fungi, and has some ability to interfere with the creation of biofilms. It is quite fast-acting. In vitro, chlorhexidine can kill nearly 100% of gram positive and gram negative bacteria within 30 seconds. Most pre-op disinfecting wash protocols using CHB solution call for a 3-minute contact time. CHG is strongly cationic, giving it a long-lasting effect. Chlorhexidine antimicrobial activity has been documented to last at least 48 hours on the skin.
MECHANISM: Chlorhexidine works in both bacteria and fungi by impairing the integrity of the cell wall of the microbes, interfering with osmosis and causing the cells to leak to death.
PRECAUTIONS; Chlorhexidine has a wide margin of safety. There is one outstanding safety precaution – Chlorhexidine has been determined to be OTOTOXIC and can lead to deafness. CHB solutions should not be allowed to enter the ear canal. To put this into a larger context, Roland & Rutca, in Ototoxicity say: Animal models have demonstrated that nearly all commonly used topical disinfectants, antiseptics, and excipients appear to be ototoxic should they enter the middle ear. P.142
WHEN TO USE: Because of the broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, Chlorhexidine Glutonate is good choice of an active ingredient in shampoos for skin problems that have not been accurately diagnosed by a veterinarian. It is a great “shotgun” medicated ingredient. Although it is not specific for cases of allergic sensitivity, it will help to manage secondary bacterial infections that often accompany such problems. It is a good intervention for persistent odor problems with dogs which are often related to bacterial proliferation. The fast acting nature of Chlorhexidine Glutonate means groomers do not have to use valuable bathing time waiting for a extended contact period. Three minutes is sufficient. The safety precaution regarding ototoxicity should be taken seriously and groomers should take measures to insure that no Chlorhexidine product is allowed in the inner ear. This is a concern in using most medicated shampoos.
REFERENCES:
Chlorhexidine Facts: Mechanism of Action
http://chlorhexidinefacts.com/mechanism-of-action.html
Cochlear ototoxicity of chlorhexidine gluconate in cats.
Igarashi Y, Suzuki J. Abstract.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4062663
Otoxicity , Peter S. Roland, John A. Rutca, PMPH-USA, 2004 - Medical - 220 pages
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Posted by: mary dela rosa | May 24, 2019 at 12:06 AM