Patent Application
20200281774
An animal such as a dog or horse can become wounded. For example, the dog digging under a fence might cause the skin of the dog to develop an abrasion. As another example, a protruding nail in a stall might puncture the skin of a horse in the stall. Animals can develop skin wounds in many ways.
The wound can be treated to improve the likelihood of the skin healing properly. To treat the wound, a veterinarian or owner of the animal with the wound might clean the wound, apply an antiseptic to the wound, apply an antimicrobial ointment to the wound, apply a bandage, and wrap the bandage to secure the bandage to the skin of the animal. The veterinarian or owner can repeat the process until the skin has healed and the wound is gone.
Despite the treatment efforts, the wound might become infected. Bacteria and viruses can enter the wound and cause the infection. The bacteria and viruses can enter the wound from anywhere, including from the wrap used to wrap the bandage. Therefore, there is a need to prevent the wrap from being a source of bacteria and viruses that could enter into the wound and cause the infection.
In addition, wraps are used as an injury prevention tool for animals engaged in sporting activities. For example, an animal trainer, owner, or veterinarian might wrap the legs of a racing horse. Such wrapping of the legs of the horse is thought to help prevent a condition called “rundown,” where the fetlock of the leg hits the ground. The fetlock repeatedly hitting the ground can cause an abrasion wound. The wound can become infected. In any event, the wrap comes into contact with the skin of the animal, and the skin might have small wounds that are overlooked during wrapping. The wrap therefore might introduce bacteria and viruses into the overlooked wound. Therefore, there is a need again to prevent the wrap from being a source of bacteria and viruses that could enter into the wound and cause the infection, and to generally be free of bacteria and viruses to improve the health and well-being of the animal.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a wrap for a non-human animal comprises: an elastic portion; an exterior surface; and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.
Embodiments of the first aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:
According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, a method of imparting antimicrobial properties onto a wrap for a non-human animal comprises: applying, to an exterior surface of a wrap for a non-human animal, the wrap including an elastic portion, a solution including a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof, and a solvent.
Embodiments of the second aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:
According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method of treating a non-human animal comprises: wrapping a portion of a body of a non-human animal with a wrap, the wrap including an elastic portion, an exterior surface, and an antimicrobial coating applied to the exterior surface; wherein, the antimicrobial coating includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.
Embodiments of the third aspect of the disclosure can include any one or a combination of the following features:
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
For purposes of description herein, it is to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
Referring to
Referring now to
The antimicrobial coating 22 includes a silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof.
Preferred silane quaternary ammonium ions or salts thereof include 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. Applying the antimicrobial coating 22 to the exterior surface 20 imparts antimicrobial properties on the exterior surface 20 and to the wrap 10, 10A generally, which prevents or lessens the ability of the exterior surface 20 to harbor harmful microbes, viruses, bacteria, and the like and spread them to the non-human animal on which the wrap 10, 10A is applied.
Further described herein is a novel method of imparting antimicrobial properties onto the wrap 10, 10A. The method comprises applying to the exterior surface 20 of the wrap 10, 10A, a solution including the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof, as described above. In addition to the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof, the solution can further include a solvent. A preferred solvent is isopropyl alcohol. After application of the solution to the exterior surface 20, the solvent, if utilized, generally evaporates, which leaves the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof applied to the exterior surface 20. Again, preferred silane quaternary ammonium ions or salts thereof include 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium ion, or 3-(trihydroxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride. The solution can be applied to the exterior surface 20 via any application method, including electrostatic spraying, dipping, and coating.
The silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 0.1 percent and 10 percent by weight of the solution. More preferably, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 0.75 percent and 5 percent by weight of the solution. Even more preferably, the silane quaternary ammonium ion or salt thereof can comprise between 1.9 percent and 2.1 percent by weight of the solution.
As for the isopropyl alcohol, the isopropyl alcohol can comprise between 30 percent to 90 percent by weight of the solution. More preferably, the isopropyl alcohol can comprise between 55 percent and 65 percent by weight of the solution. An example preferable solution comprises (by weight) 60.0 percent isopropyl alcohol, 2.02 percent 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyldimethyloctadecyl ammonium chloride, and 34.19 percent deionized water.
Referring now to
It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
