Efficacy and dermal tolerance of a novel alcohol-based skin antiseptic in horses.
Authors: Tannahill Victoria J, Cogan Tristan, Allen Kate, Acutt Elizabeth, Busschers Evita
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Alcohol-Based Skin Antiseptic in Horses A team led by Tannahill evaluated a novel alcohol-based skin antiseptic (ABSA) against standard chlorhexidine-isopropyl alcohol protocols in 25 healthy horses, comparing microbial reduction, preparation time, and dermal tolerance across four abdominal clipping sites using different preparation methods. Both ABSA formulations—applied either after saline or after commercial shampoo—reduced bacterial colony-forming units to the same degree as the chlorhexidine-based positive control (P <0.001), whilst completing preparation significantly faster than traditional two-step protocols (P <0.001). Minor skin reactions were observed in 30.5% of cases at 24 hours post-preparation, but these were unrelated to the antiseptic used and did not warrant veterinary intervention in any animal. For farriers and equine veterinarians preparing surgical or injection sites on sound-skinned horses, this ABSA offers comparable antimicrobial efficacy to established methods with the practical advantage of reduced preparation time—a clinically meaningful benefit in busy practice settings. Whilst these findings support adoption in routine pre-operative and invasive procedure protocols, the authors appropriately flag that clinical validation in compromised or diseased skin remains necessary before broader recommendations can be made.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •ABSA offers equivalent antimicrobial efficacy to standard chlorhexidine-alcohol protocols with faster application time, making it a practical option for pre-operative skin preparation
- •Mild skin reactions are common at 24 hours post-preparation regardless of agent used and do not require intervention in healthy horses
- •Consider adopting ABSA for routine surgical prep to reduce procedural time without compromising antisepsis quality
Key Findings
- •Novel alcohol-based skin antiseptic (ABSA) reduced microbial burden equivalently to chlorhexidine gluconate plus isopropyl alcohol (P<0.001 vs negative control)
- •ABSA preparation methods were significantly faster than chlorhexidine protocol (P<0.001)
- •Skin reactions occurred in 30.5% of sites at 24 hours post-preparation but showed no significant association with antiseptic type and required no veterinary treatment
- •ABSA A and ABSA B methods showed no difference in preparation time (P=0.108)