Ozone water has antibacterial properties in dogs without skin barrier impairment.

Background: Recently, the use of disinfectants to treat bacterial skin diseases in dogs has garnered attention from the perspective of preventing the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Ozone water is a disinfectant that combines high antibacterial efficacy and safety; however, there have been no reports verifying its effects on skin barrier function in dogs.

Objectives: This study aimed to verify the antibacterial properties and effects of ozone water on skin barrier function in dogs.

Animals: Four beagles for the antibacterial test and six beagles for the barrier function test.

Materials and methods: Purified water, 3 mg/L ozone water and 0.005% and 0.05% sodium hypochlorite were used as test products. Skin bacteria were collected 5 min after a single application of each and cultured to measure the bacterial counts. Trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin surface hydration (SSH) were measured before and after application once a day for 2 weeks. Additionally, the proliferation of canine epidermal keratinocytes (CPEK) was examined after a 5-min incubation with the test products.

Results: Ozone water and 0.05% sodium hypochlorite significantly reduced the number of skin bacteria. None of the test products worsened TEWL and SSH values. Sodium hypochlorite completely inhibited the proliferation of CPEK, while ozone water did not.

Conclusions and clinical relevance: Ozone water has an antibacterial effect on canine skin comparable to that of 0.05% sodium hypochlorite, but does not inhibit keratinocyte proliferation in vitro. Thus, ozone water has the potential to be used as a safe and effective disinfectant for canine skin.