# Nolvasan for disinfecting.



## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Could someone tell me what the recommended dosage is for disinfecting hand feeding utensils? The lady who gave it to me said half and half with water. That seems to be an awful lot of disinfectant and a waste of some pretty powerful stuff.


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## This'll Do (Jun 24, 2011)

Hi Mentha!
Here's what I know from vet-teching-- but I've been out of the loop for several years and someone may have some more recent thinking on the subject. 

The chlorhexidine disinfectants come in different grades, if you have the Nolvasan 2%, then for instruments and dishes the dilution is 1:20 with a contact time of 15 minutes. The equipment has to be spotlessly cleaned first with detergent and rinsed. If you dilute it with distilled water instead of tap water, the stock solution is good for two weeks, though it has to be discarded after use. Rinse the instruments thoroughly and air dry.

The Nolvasan is good, and very safe, but has limitations. It doesn't work against _Giardia_, _Pseudomonas_, or viruses, for instance. If you have a quarantined or sick bird and are seriously worried about contagion, there are other options. 

For hand-feeding equipment I think the above Nolvasan treatment would do fine.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I'm aware that it doesn't work on pseudonomas and other bacteria. I've found a disinfectant that does kill psuedonomas, parvo, influenza etc. However atm I only have nolvasan. The Nolvasan label says 1-3 oz. per gallon of water depending on intended use, but I'm wondering if I should go with the stronger strength or if the lesser strength dilution will work for a soak.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I learned that it is best not to use disinfectants around a birds environment, and that includes cage cleaning etc. A bird needs to build up it's immunity to its environment.

Simple water and detergent and/or a very dilute vinegar water is fine. *ALSO* exposure to sunlight is the *best * disinfectant. I keep a small flouresant (sp) fixture with a sunlight or Vita light bulb near the sink, and I rinse out the syringes, etc with soapy water and allow to air dry under the light. With larger things like cages I will wash and place outside in the sun to dry.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Thanks for the tip! That's what I usually do (without light) however I've been losing babies right and left so I thought I might need something a little stronger for a while until I stop losing them. The vet can't seem to find anything wrong with them but I've lost one every other day almost. They are fine one day, lose weight the next, crop stays full so they stop eating the next, then flip on their side and are gone within minutes with full crops. 

Plus I do have the African Gray that is prone to bacterial infections so her cage does get disinfectant, all others just get soap and water, maybe bleach every once in a while if something smells funky. I only tend to disinfect quarantine cages after use.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

* however I've been losing babies right and left so I thought I might need something a little stronger for a while until I stop losing them.*

A breeder locally here is having the same problem. When the babies are pulled they are fine, but by the time they are 5-6 weeks old they become lethargic and emaciated, and then just die. Her vet just determined that the handfeeding formula (Embrace) may be the problem and has sent out tissues for analysis and the formula for testing with the USDA.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Wow, I'm going to go buy some new handfeeding formula then. I've been using Exact because it's all I can get locally. Maybe I just got a bad batch.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

It was the Embrace the vet thought was *suspect* and had my friend switch to Exact. Years ago the Embrace had a problem, and lab test proved it was contaminated with pesticides. At this time I also learned that if you ever are in doubt about food causing a problem contact the USDA and find out who can run tests and do necropsys (this is free) for analysis.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

I'll have to remember that, thanks.


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## This'll Do (Jun 24, 2011)

Sorry for the late response-- had to work too much this week.

3oz:1gal is about half strength of the dilution I used to make. But we were using it as cold sterilization for instruments like hemostats, scissors, needle holders, gavage needles and stuff like that for external surgical procedures, and for dishes in the clinic isolation cage, so I think the 1:20 is pretty strong.

For using the Nolvasan as extra security for your hand-feeding equipment in my opinion the 3:128 would be sufficient since it is listed on the label.

Regarding srtiels post-- that does make sense when dealing with chicks, you want them to build a strong immune system and that only comes from exposure to some pathogens in their environment. So I do want to emphasize that my experience comes only from working in the vet's office where we were much more concerned with cross-contamination because of all the animals that came through the place. I don't know enough to comment specifically on the issue of whether you should use cold sterilization on the hand-feeding gear. _My advice is strictly related to the dilution question_-- I don't know much about baby birds!

That's a scary thought about the formula being contaminated. I hope you can find out what's causing your chick problems.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Whatever it is that has been killing them it seems to be stayed by soaking. I haven't lost any more babies and they seem to be doing better. I didn't know the dilution rates so I made the water look like it had been lightly tinted. It's still strong enough that I can smell and taste it if I'm not careful in washing my hands afterward. I've been cleaning the utensils and soaking them until about half an hour before feeding time then rinse and let dry. Now that they seem to be doing better I'll go back to soap and water.


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