Compounding for Animal Patients

For years, the compounding pharmacist has been a vital part to the success of animal patients’ therapy. Just as the drug market for human drugs endures drug shortages and dosage issues, there is no exception in the animal industry.

There is a challenge to earning the trust of some veterinarians. Typically, they will dispense many meds in their facility and are reluctant to outsource prescriptions. You must approach this with delicacy. Let the veterinarian know that you are not a competitor in that sense but that you can offer customized medication to assist with the therapy of their patients.

Compounding pharmacists can provide recipes for finicky animal patients with the flexibility to customize a dosage depending on the breed and weight of the animal. This is especially true for large or exotic animals.  Rarely do commercial drugs accommodate their unique needs, presenting a challenge to veterinarians.

A huge advantage for compounders is the ability to provide customized strengths, concentrations, and dosage forms for oral and topical route of administrations. The end result is a much higher level of compliance.

Since our animal patients are not the same as our human patients, it is important that we expand our knowledge about the species we are compounding for, in accordance with USP <795>. You must be careful when compounding for food-producing animals in which the veterinarian should establish a WDT (withdrawal time) for that animal to be removed from the food cycle. The WDT needs to be on the label of the medication that is compounded.

By solving dosage problems, flavoring medication and assisting with drug shortages, the pharmacist and veterinarian can improve the health of many animal patients.

Whether your customers are on two legs or four, we know providing them with quality care is your top priority. Want more helpful compounding hacks, up-to-date industry changes and killer deals on pharmacy supplies? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn- let’s be social!