What would you use?

[angieh]

As a general all purpose antiseptic standby for cats? Would Hibiscrub do?

[Moli]

I use salt water..

[Mags]

I've never used any on Cassie, just tepid boiled water with added salt.

Johnsons (https://www.lamp-post.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CH7968&cat=100) do a range of antiseptic products for cats.....

[dandysmom]

I've never used one either; just the water/salt combo.

[MrsH]

I use Hibiscrub on both the cats and the dog so I always have some in the house. It was recommended by the vet when my cat Molly had teenage acne on her chin.

[pinklizzy]

Hibiscrub is generally used as a skin preparation, both for the surgeons hands as well as preparing a surgical site. It isn't ideal for general cleaning of wound as it can cause damage to the cells. If used very diluted it can be good for very dirty or infected wounds.
Generally I would use cooled boiled water-as my lecturer always used to tell me 'The solution to pollution is dilution'! So flushing/bathing a wound with just boiled water will help to reduce the bacterial colony, therefore reducing infection.

[angieh]

Thanks for that - boiled cooled water it is!

[smudgley]

Hibiscrub is generally used as a skin preparation, both for the surgeons hands as well as preparing a surgical site. It isn't ideal for general cleaning of wound as it can cause damage to the cells. If used very diluted it can be good for very dirty or infected wounds.
Generally I would use cooled boiled water-as my lecturer always used to tell me 'The solution to pollution is dilution'! So flushing/bathing a wound with just boiled water will help to reduce the bacterial colony, therefore reducing infection.

How does it damage the cells?

[pinklizzy]

As a very basic explanation, the active ingredient in hibiscrub is chlorhexidine gluconate. It works as a skin preparation by causing the bacterial cell walls to rupture. If it is used at too high a concentration, there is a risk that it will do the same to the tissue within a wound. This is why it is indicated in more heavily infected or necrotic wounds.

[angieh]

I used to use Hibiscrub to clean Merlin's cyst before it was removed. I think I was told 3-4 drops in half a bowl of water, so very dilute.

Kizzy had a bit of an accident coming back from the vet last time we went and I was looking around for something to clean her up with and used the Hibiscrub - a little stronger as it was only on her fur. It certainly got rid of the smell. Poor love - she'd been so good at the vet.

[pinklizzy]

It's really good to use on unbroken skin, that's what we generally use it for in practice. We all wash our hands in it too. It's really only with wounds that I would use it with caution as it can delay healing.

[calismum]

I often use hibiscrub on unbroken skin - my vet suggested it when one of my old ladies got v smelly.

I think as long as you're careful around open wounds it is a great product.