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Posted On Jul 21, 2019

Updated On Jul 04, 2025

Disinfectants And Canine Influenza Virus

Internal Medicine

This question was submitted during a past webinar titled What the Flu? Protecting Dogs and Communities From Canine Influenza Virus:

Question:
Can bleach be used as a disinfectant? If so, what concentration? Left on area for how long?

Answer by Jason Stull, VMD, MPVM, PhD, DACVPM:
As an enveloped virus, CIV is inactivated by routinely used disinfectants (including bleach – this link provides key details on using bleach for disinfection). It is important to remember that the choice of disinfectants for a facility / home should be based on all pathogens (germs) that are a concern for that location (some of which will be more difficult to kill than CIV and thus require different disinfectants). 

For a summary of the spectrum of activity and characteristics of commonly used disinfectants, please consider visiting the following:

2018 AAHA Infection Control, Prevention, and Biosecurity Guidelines, under properties of disinfectants, there are links for information on:

    • Antimicrobial spectrum of disinfectants
    • Characteristics of selected disinfectants
    • Properties of disinfectants
    • How to read a disinfectant product label