Compounding for Veterinarians, pets and other animals

Compounding for Veterinarians and Pets

Pharmaceutical compounding has become a popular solution for veterinary drugs. Animals often have the same diseases that humans have, but treating them in the right dose or with the right route of administration can be challenging.

The pet, which refuses to take drugs because of the taste, is an important pet for a veterinary pharmacy. Dogs do not like to be in their mouth, but they like to take a flavored treat. These options eliminate unnecessary traumas and scratches, bites, wasted medications and the frustration of the owner.

A veterinary compounding pharmacy combines high quality, active pharmaceutical ingredients to create species-specific formulations, delivery systems and dosages of veterinary medications. A professional pharmacist and a vetenerian can work hand in hand to determine the effective dosage and delivery system for your pet. The compound medicine is made from the highest quality ingredients to meet the unique needs of your pet. One of the benefits of the medication is the ability to tailor the way it is delivered to the pet: if an animal does not want to eat a bitter-tasting liquid, the process becomes a struggle for the owner and the pet. If the same medication can be processed in a capsule or flavored treatment, neither the owner nor the patient are traumatized, and the necessary medications can be administered without anxiety.

Why compounding solutions for your pets?

Animals can be difficult to treat with medication. It can be almost impossible to get some pets, especially cats, to swallow pills or open their mouths in a stream of medicine.. Dosages can also be tricky, what’s right for a large dog may not be right for a miniature breed.

Options such as transdermal gels,  make it possible to administer the dedication by delivering it by rubbing the gel onto the skin rather than orally.

Compounding medications are frequently used for:

• Pets who refuse to take medication because of the taste
• Pets who refuse to swallow pills
• Pets with special dietary needs
• Pets whose medications are no longer being manufactured
• Pets requiring customized dosage strengths

Working together, the veterinarian and pharmacist can improve the health and happiness of your pet.

Dosage forms include:

• Flavored Oral Suspensions
• Flavored Chew Treats
• Transdermal Gels
• Tiny Capsules

Liquids Oral Suspension:

Compounding Pharmacists are aware of drug stability in various forms. Once determined certain bitter drugs can be suspended into a liquid to make the medicine more flavorful. Pharmacy offer a variety of flavors to please pets. Medicines are bottled with an easy to use cap to prevent waste and mess. An oral syringe is also provided.

Chewables:

Chews are for pets that have trouble taking normal tablets, capsules, or liquids. The active drug is precisely measured to the prescription order, and then mixed thoroughly with a flavor base and gelatin.

Capsules:

Practically any drug can be put into a capsule for pet medications. Pharmacist customize dosages and compound combinations of medications in one capsule so that pet owner may only have to administer medications once. They are aware that giving animals the smallest capsule is easiest. Therefore, they can also give you varieties of colors to choose from. This simplifies matters for patients on multiple medications.

Transdermal/Topical Gels:

Transdermal gels are an alternative to giving medications orally. The gel is rubbed into the hairless area on the inside of the animal’s ear. The medication is absorbed through the skin. This is an option for pets who have difficulty swallowing and/or refuse oral medications. Transdermal gels delivery results that make it easier for pet and pet owner. Keep in mind not all medications can be administered in this way. Call and discuss your questions with your Pharmacists.

If you’re new to the benefits of veterinary compounding, or you simply want to know more about it, then you may find the answers by asking the following questions.

When Is Compounding Necessary?

When a drug approved by the FDA is available for veterinary use, it is almost always recommended to prescribe this medication because its efficacy and safety have been proven. However, if an animal patient requires treatment and there are no human or veterinary drugs approved by the FDA, or if the needs are within the above list, the veterinarian can use the veterinary drugs to treat the patient. In most cases, the decision for the veterinary composition is a decision based on medical needs and is taken as part of a veterinary-client-patient relationship.

Reasons to compound for your pet

• Dosage Strength - If the correct strength is unavailable. For example, a medication which comes as a 50mg tablet can be compounded into a strength required for small pet dosing, such as 10mg.
• Flavoring - Flavoring is very important, especially with cats. Therefore, we can take a drug with a very bitter taste (ie, metronidazole) and compose it in a sardine or tuna flavored suspension with cat love. Pharmacist can also compound drugs to have a sweet taste, which dogs enjoy.
• Dosage forms are not commercially available: if a medication is not available in the United States, such as PZI, it can be compounded. If your pet is poorly tolerant of oral medications, an alternate route of administration can be prepared.

What is available for veterinary compounding?

• Sugar-free formulations
• Ophthalmic Specialty Drops
• Flavored antibiotic suspensions
• Discontinued medications
• Topical powders
• Transdermal Creams and Lotions
• Combination medications
• Medicated biscuits/treats
• Chewable flavored troches
• Oral suspensions and pastes
• Rectal suppositories
• Individualized concentrated doses