This article by the University of Denver of the Animal and Use Program provides the policy on the proper disinfectants on veterinary surgical instruments on animal surgery. Covered in this article are: the limitation of alcohol as a disinfectant, different method of sterilization and, the available sterilants on the market.

Based on the findings of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; although alcohol or ethanol may be effective as a disinfectant (from time to time it may get the job done), it is an inconsistent agent that sterilization and disinfection cannot be assured. Factors like: duration, micro-organism or the bacteria being eliminated will dictate the success or failure of alcohol. According to APIC this is because ethanol lacks the sporicidal activity or the required agent which has the ability to kill spores and viruses that are hydrophilic in nature or viruses that can thrive in water compound.

The limitation of alcohol in mammal, aviary, aquatic and amphibian surgery are also discussed briefly in this article. It also clearly differentiates sterilization which is the removal of micro-organism, from disinfection or the reduction of micro-organism. Such distinction is very useful when using compounds that may be effective for disinfecting (e.g. alcohol) but will not be as successful as sterilant, thus using the proper compound on the appropriate application.

Also enumerated are different ways of sterilizing veterinary surgical instruments, sterilization by high steam or through the application of heat, gas sterilization and chemical sterilization. With high steam and gas sterilization a monitoring system is required to guarantee sterilization of surgical instruments has been achieved and assuring safety for it either involves heat and pressure and noxious substance that may be harmful and dangerous. Sterilization of surgical instruments using chemical requires additional awareness such as, being able to properly classify sterilant from disinfectant; the later being not sufficient as a sterilizing solution, physical make or property of the instruments to be sterilized via chemical – instruments able to resist moisture and shape of the instrument allowing chemical to penetrate such as tubing and the outer and inner surfaces of the surgical instrument, allowing ample time for immersion and, using an effective and proper solution, the state of the solution  which should be clean and used only in the prescribed amount of times.  Also, on why the need of using saline or sterile water on surgical instruments for rinsing.

This article also enumerates the different and approved products for sterilization with notes on handling, number of hours of immersion to be effective and shelf life. Briefly: 1. Heat or glass bead sterilizer on instruments that are not heat sensitive. 2. Cidex shelf life from fifteen to twenty eight days, 3. Clidox which should be mixed in part and, 4. Alicide which has a shelf life of fourteen days. Glutaraldehyde, Formaldehyde and Stabilized hydrogen peroxide are also included as sterilants. Like all other chemical compounds used on veterinary surgical instruments, caution and discretion in the use should be exercised and that the chemical should be compatible with the instrument being sterilized to guarantee effectiveness in sterilizing. With the appropriate technique and proper chemical an infection and disease free can be assured that is free from contaminants.Article link