Treating a sick pet is always a challenging experience. You’d hope that a clear diagnosis is the hard part, but with pet’s it’s often just the start of the journey. Actually getting the right medication into your pet is no easy feat, as both administration of medicine and the suitability of the formulation need to align. When they don’t, tablets are spat out, side effects emerge, and frustrating for both pet and owner are inevitable.
Commercial veterinary medications are usually the first port of care, but while they often work well, they aren’t designed with every animal in mind. This increases the chance of unsuitability and administration struggles compromising your pet’s recovery. If this is the case, veterinary compounding may be the ideal solution. By customising a treatment to account for an animal’s unique physiology and preferences, you’re less likely to come across some of the major roadblocks that make veterinary care so difficult in the first place.
What Makes Veterinary Medications Different?
The simple answer to this question is that animals are not small humans. For one, their bodies function differently, and this creates variance in the way medications are absorbed, processed, and tolerated. A drug that’s perfectly safe for you could be harmful or even fatal to your pet.
Sometimes, the problem isn’t even the active ingredient, but the additives. Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener, is a classic example of an ingredient safe for people but toxic to dogs. Cats can react poorly to certain preservatives or flavourings. And exotic pets may need completely different delivery methods altogether.
Unsurprisingly, these differences matter. A medication that’s too strong, hard to digest, or full of unsuitable excipients is not just unlikely to be effective but can cause serious potential harm. This underpins the reasons for why a more bespoke approach might be recommended by your vet.
Veterinary Compounding: Explained
Veterinary compounding is the preparation of customised medications for an animal, as an alternative to mass-produced formulations. A compounding pharmacist creates the medication from scratch based on a prescription from your vet.
What do these customisations entail? The beauty of compounding is that no two orders are the same, and these changes are made on a case-by-case basis. It may involve adjusting the strength of the drug, changing the format (eg. from tablet to liquid), removing problematic ingredients, or adding flavours to make it more palatable. The goal is to end up with a treatment that works with your pet, not against them.
This approach can be a life-saver if the commercial options do not quite cut it. Sometimes, this is because the right dose or form isn’t easily available. Other times, your pet might have specific medical or behavioural needs that make standard options unsuitable. The use cases of compounding vary, but all fall under the approach of providing a more personalised touch to veterinary care. If your pet means a lot to you, this is an option to consider seriously if the situation demands it.
Does Compounding Improves Treatment Safety?
While efficacy is a focal point of customisation, safety is of equal priority. Many of the formulation adjustments made are specifically intended to target potential safety risks. For pets, this often means accounting for common treatment roadblocks such as liver issues, kidney disease, food allergies, and chronic gastrointestinal sensitivity. These are just some of the many reasons why an animal may not tolerate medication well.
Poorly tolerated medication is something to take very seriously, as the greater sensitivity of many species also increases the risk of side effects. Even the tiniest amount of a reactive ingredient can lead to serious complications over time.
In regards to safety, compounded medications allow for:
- Reduced excipients that are easier on internal organs.
- Accurate, species-appropriate dosing.
- Safer alternatives when commercial options contain known triggers.
Is there variance in safety depending on who makes your compounded medications? Ideally no, but it’s worth doing your due diligence when shopping around. If a reputable compounding pharmacy is using pharmaceutical-grade ingredients in a controlled environment with proper safety protocols, you can expect reliable therapeutic standards. In a previous blog, we’ve highlighted some tips that can help you gauge whether a compounding pharmacy can be trusted with your order.
Real-World Examples
No explanation of veterinary compounding is complete without noting some of the common examples and use cases in animal health. Many of the examples below are practical modifications that are frequently used when treating pets:
- Alternative dosage forms: Liquids, pastes, transdermal gels, and chewable treats are alternative forms that can be used in place of traditional tablets. These forms often make the administration of medicine easier than it would be otherwise.
- Flavour customisation: Chicken, beef, tuna, and other pet-friendly flavours can also help with administration. Again, medication adherence is much easier if your pet isn’t insistent on resisting the treatment.
- Allergen-free formulations: Medications can be made without preservatives, dyes, or other problematic excipients. This reduces the risk of side effects, and in many cases, it makes a treatment viable that would otherwise be unsuitable in commercial products made for humans.
- Exact dosing: Ideal for small animals or unique cases where precise control is needed. This is simply the best way to mitigate the risks that come with over- or under-dosing.
These changes can be the difference between a treatment that fails and one that supports long-term health.
What About Your Vet?
Veterinary compounding is a collaborative process. In Australia, your veterinarian is the one who assesses your pet’s health, determines if a compounded medication is appropriate, and provides a detailed prescription. Compounding pharmacies like us then compound the medication according to these instructions, using professional judgment to ensure safety and quality.
Throughout treatment, feedback from you and your vet can lead to further adjustments. If a flavour isn’t working or a strength needs to be modified, changes are possible. This is in stark contrast to commercial products, where flexibility is limited to finding different options on the market.
Chronic Conditions & Other Complications
Pets with chronic illnesses usually require ongoing medication. And with long-term treatment, the need for an easily administered treatment plan multiplies. No matter how effective a treatment is on paper, the reality of treating animals successfully hinges on several factors. Notably, this includes how easy it is to maintain consistent administration of the medication.
A dog who refuses tablets or a cat who vomits up medicine? This behaviour can easily lead to missed doses, which may inhibit recovery. Note that even milder forms of resistance from your pet can add up over time. Any sort of stress and resentment that builds when administering medicine makes every subsequent session harder.
Compounding offers solutions here on several fronts. Medications can be made in strengths appropriate for long-term use, with tolerable ingredients that account for your pet’s species and body type. Additionally, formats can be tailored to allow for easier administration. That could be anything from a tasty liquid, a transdermal gel, or a smaller, easier-to-swallow capsule.
Final Thoughts
While the prevalence of mass-manufactured medicine won’t be changing any time soon, it’s good to be knowledgeable of the alternative options. Particularly when it comes to treating animals, compounding is a flexible tool that allows your pet to get the personalised care they need.
If you have questions about whether veterinary compounding is right for your pet, speak to your vet or contact Zenith Pharmacy. We’re always happy to provide guidance or help bring your vet’s treatment plan to life in the safest, most practical form possible.
Written By
Zen Xiao
