Introduction

Compounding is not limited to just our human loved ones anymore — compounding for our furry four-legged companion, as well as exotic animals, is just as important. One of the biggest challenges in animal medication therapy is the fact that most drug products are manufactured with the intended use in humans, not animals. The niche of veterinary compounding allows for these issues or concerns, shared by both Veterinarians and pet owners, to be addressed and handled to ensure that the most suitable and efficacious medication therapy is administered to the animal in question. Some of the most common concerns solved by veterinary compounding include:

Dosing

Dosing commercial medications for animals can be quite challenging, especially if small amounts are desired or the dose required is not easily manipulated from the strength/concentration that is commercially available.  This is especially concerning with drugs associated with a narrow therapeutic index, where “rounding up” to the nearest measurable decimal value can potentially cause toxic levels or overdose in the animal.  Compounding allows for drug concentrations to be modified to one that can easily be measured which, in turn, minimizes adverse drug events from an accidental overdose.

Dosage Form

Dosage forms can be customized to, not only the species being treated, but to the individual animal’s habits as well. Examples of customized dosage forms include, but are not limited to:

• Oral Pastes Capsules
• Topical or Transdermal Preparations 
• Oral Liquids Injections
• Chewable Treats
• Capsules
• Powders (to be mixed with food)
• Injections