Veterinary Pharmacology
Summary
Veterinary pharmacology encompasses the discovery, characterisation and application of drugs to prevent and treat disease in companion, production and wildlife species. Core principles include pharmacokinetics—how a drug is absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted—and pharmacodynamics—its mechanism of action at target sites. Drug classes span antimicrobials, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, anaesthetics, antiparasitics and vaccines. Species-specific anatomical and physiological differences demand tailored dosing regimens, formulation choices and administration routes. Regulatory frameworks ensure safety, efficacy and quality, while residue monitoring and withdrawal times protect food chains. Recent advances in physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling, precision anaesthesia and novel delivery systems are driving more predictable, safe and effective therapies, balancing therapeutic benefit with minimised adverse effects and resistance development.
Research from Nature Portfolio
A 2024 bioequivalence study compared two formulations of etomidate fat emulsion in healthy volunteers, demonstrating equivalent pharmacokinetic profiles and bispectral-index suppression within accepted confidence intervals and confirming safety and tolerability. These findings support interchangeable etomidate preparations for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia, offering veterinary practitioners greater flexibility in formulation selection without compromising efficacy.
An experimental comparison of two balanced injectable anaesthetic protocols in Egyptian fruit bats undergoing gonadectomy found that both dexmedetomidine–ketamine and dexmedetomidine–butorphanol–midazolam regimens achieved effective sedation with similar induction and recovery times. Differences in heart rate, oxygen saturation and respiratory rate highlighted the importance of protocol choice and adjunctive support in chiropteran species.
Work in rainbow trout has defined the pharmacokinetics and biosafety of orally administered oxytetracycline dihydrate at therapeutic and higher doses. Tissue uptake varied markedly—highest in kidney and gill, slowest in muscle—and elimination half-lives ranged from hours to days. A 30-day safety assessment confirmed normal feed intake, stable physiology and low muscle residues at recommended doses, informing withdrawal period guidelines and supporting safe use in aquaculture.
Veterinary Pharmacology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in veterinary pharmacology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Pharmacokinetics: The study of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion over time.
Pharmacodynamics: The relationship between drug concentration at the site of action and the resulting effect.
Bioavailability: The fraction of an administered dose reaching systemic circulation in active form.
Volume of distribution: The theoretical volume in which a drug is dispersed to achieve its plasma concentration.
Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model: A mathematical framework integrating anatomical, physiological and biochemical parameters to predict drug kinetics.
Therapeutic window: The drug concentration range between minimum effective level and the threshold for adverse effects.
References
- Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation study of etomidate: a randomized, open-label, 2-period crossover study in healthy Chinese subjects. Scientific Reports (2024).
- Comparison of two injectable anaesthetic protocols in Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) undergoing gonadectomy. Scientific Reports (2022).
- Assessing the effect of therapeutic level of oxytetracycline dihydrate on pharmacokinetics and biosafety in Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1792). Scientific Reports (2024).
- Advances in Canine Anesthesia: Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling for Predicting Propofol Plasma Profiles in Canines with Hepatic Impairment. Pharmaceuticals (2024).
- Efficacy and Safety of Dexmedetomidine Premedication in Balanced Anesthesia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Dogs. Animals (2021).
- Pharmacokinetics of intramuscular alfaxalone and its echocardiographic, cardiopulmonary and sedative effects in healthy dogs. PLOS ONE (2018).
About these summaries
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