Veterinary pharmacology involves studying drugs for animals, including pets, farm animals, and those in conservation parks. It is a complex field that requires knowledge of pharmacology and veterinary science. The market for veterinary pharmaceuticals is significant, with pet owners and the agricultural industry being major consumers. Developing safe and effective drugs for different animal species is a challenge, particularly for rare and exotic animals in zoos.
Veterinary pharmacology is a branch of pharmacology, the study of drugs, that deals with drugs that can be used with animals, ranging from topical flea management medications for dogs and cats to antibiotics that can be used to treat infections in elephants. Veterinary pharmacologists work for pharmaceutical companies, veterinary schools, animal parks, and organizations that conduct research aimed at advancing veterinary science. The people who work in this field have advanced degrees in pharmacology and veterinary sciences.
Like pharmacologists who study drugs that can be used on people, veterinary pharmacologists are interested in the molecular structure of drugs, how drugs work, safe drug dosages, side effects associated with drugs, drug discovery, new existing drug applications, drug treatment protocols and a variety of related topics. Veterinary pharmacology is much more complex than human pharmacology because it involves applying pharmacology to a number of species, rather than just one, and drug reactions in many animal species are poorly understood.
The main market of veterinary pharmacology is that of medicines for pets and animals used in agriculture. Pet owners spend large volumes of money every year on their dogs and cats, pets such as hamsters, rats and birds are also very popular and some of this money is spent on pharmaceuticals. Routine medications such as over-the-counter flea medications are steady sellers in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry, along with drugs used in medical care and disease management. Pet owners are also continually demanding new treatments and standards of care, often involving pharmaceuticals.
Veterinary pharmaceuticals are also important to the agricultural industry. Drugs that keep cattle, chickens and pigs healthy are used around the world, along with pharmaceuticals designed to enhance performance, such as growth hormones. Each of these species requires a different approach; drugs that work in a cow, for example, might be dangerous in a chicken or ineffective in a pig. Other farm animals such as goats, sheep, ducks, geese and horses also routinely require pharmaceuticals such as dewormers and antibiotics. Formulating safe drugs for farm animals is a complex task in veterinary pharmacology.
Developing pharmaceuticals that are safe for animals in conservation parks, as well as wild animals, is another aspect of veterinary pharmacology. Zoos are often the last frontier of veterinary science, as they have rare and exotic animals that can present unique challenges, ranging from formulating milk for a koala cub that has been rejected by its mother to finding a safe general anesthetic for a tiger. Developing pharmaceuticals for animals in zoos is particularly challenging because some are endangered and highly valuable, making it critical that the medicines used are safe, reliable and effective.
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