Chlorine dioxide is a chemical compound, in the form of a gas that is typically used in very small quantities as a disinfectant. It kills viruses, fungi and bacteria and is often used in public water treatment facilities to prevent contamination and the spread of disease.
According to the CDC, "about 5% of large water-treatment facilities (serving more than 100,000 persons) in the United States use chlorine dioxide to treat drinking water. An estimated 12 million persons may be expose in this way to chlorine dioxide and chlorite ions. In communities that use chlorine dioxide to treat drinking water, chlorine dioxide and its by-product, chlorite ions, may be present at low levels in tap water."
Chlorine dioxide can also be used as a surface disinfectant to kill off pathogens that may be present in your dogs' environment. Certain disinfectants that contain chlorine dioxide may have the capacity to kill off parvovirus, ringworm and Covid-19.
A study completed in 2021 titled, "Chlorine Dioxide is a More Potent Antiviral Agent Against SARS-CoV-2 than Sodium Hypochlorite," compared the efficacy of chlorine dioxide and sodium hypochlorite in the treatment of Covid-19. The results suggested that both were strong antiviral agents in the absence of organic matter, but when organic matter was present, chlorine dioxide was more potent.
However, a contradictory study was published also in 2021 titled, "Factors Associated with the Consumption of Chlorine Dioxide to Prevent and Treat Covid-19 in the Peruvian Population: A Cross-Sectional Study," evaluated the consumption of chlorine dioxide in 3630 Peruvian individuals as a means to prevent or treat Covid-19 from different regions, different genders, different ages, varying levels of education completed, pre-existing conditions and socioeconomic backgrounds. Amongst this population, 16% consumed chlorine dioxide as a treatment or preventative for Covid-19. The study found that the consumption of chlorine dioxide was not effective and further the public was misinformed of its' efficacy. The study also emphasized the importance of "educating the population to avoid consumption of this type of substance and the implementation of policies to regulate the information propagated by the media, to mitigate false news and promote evidence-based recommendations."
Another study published in 2022 titled, "A Systematic Review on Chlorine Dioxide as a Disinfectant," noted the significant increase in demand for disinfectant products for humans and animals as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This study analyzed the efficacy, safety and influence of chlorine dioxide on water disinfection and findings support that chlorine dioxide is an effective disinfectant because it kills microorganisms even at low concentrations and it is safe in the treatment of water to kill microorganisms and prevent disease. The study concludes that "The use of chlorine dioxide is a newer water disinfection technology; adequate management of the method is essential to make it cost-effective and ensure high efficacy and safety for humans and animals.
While the direct consumption of chlorine dioxide hasn't been researched thoroughly, it is clear that using disinfectant concentrations that contain chlorine dioxide are effective surface disinfectants that can kill common pathogens including parvovirus, ringworm and Covid-19 and help you keep your dog and family safer.
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