Main:
Having the ability to compound veterinary medications can be extremely helpful to both veterinarians and the owners of the animal. Unlike many human medications, a one-size-fits-all approach isn’t going to be effective is most cases. The animal’s species, breed, size, and preferences can all play a large role in what type of medication should be prescribed. Veterinarians should be comfortable turning to compounding pharmacies for formulating the ideal medication for their patients.

Transdermal:
It can be difficult to deliver medications to animals, especially through a traditional oral route. Many veterinary medications are aimed at delivering a drug through the animal’s skin, usually to the ear or a specific site of action. With appropriate compounding, many drugs can be easily prepared as topical formulas.

Anti-Infective:
Just like humans, animals can contract a large number of infectious diseases, and will often require specialized therapy to treat them. These treatments often necessitate the use of uncommon drugs in specific dosage forms, making them a good choice for enlisting the help of a compounding pharmacy.

Behavioral Medicine:
Just like humans, animals can experience a number of different behavioral problems. These can be behaviors like separation anxiety, dominant aggressive disorders, and erratic compulsions like scratching and licking. In these cases, a medication usually needs to be easy to administer and fast acting to provide relief for the animal. Compounding a medication gives the freedom of choosing effective doses and forms to best fit the animal’s needs.

Cardiology/Hypertension:
Many companion animals are at risk for high blood pressure and the problems associated with it. Although it often goes unnoticed in both people and animals, high blood pressure should be addressed in order to preserve an animal’s health. Many of the options for blood pressure medications are best delivered orally, making it an ideal choice as a compounded medication, which allows for the formulation of different flavored dosage forms such as suspensions.

Endocrinology:
Many animals will suffer from endocrine disorders similar to those seen in humans. These can be conditions like diabetes, thyroid imbalances, or adrenal hormone disorders. Each of these requires specialized therapy in order to keep the animal healthy. By compounding these medications, a pharmacist can deliver the medication in an ideal format for both the animal and the owner.

Pain Management:
Animals can be prone to pain in many ways, whether it’s caused by an injury or if it occurs naturally, as with arthritis. Regardless of the cause of pain, there are many different treatment options to choose from. Choosing the right combination of drug and dosage form can have a great impact on the amount of relief the animal will experience.

Poisoning/Toxicosis:
Due to the difference in an animal’s metabolism from our own, there are many substances in our daily lives that could be a hazard to them. Accidental poisoning can be a common occurrence, and often requires urgent administration of a known antidote. Many of these antidotes can’t be used in their manufactured forms, and will require compounding to be available as needed.

Seizure Control:
Seizures can be a serious concern in any animal that has experienced one, and should be addressed with proper preventative therapy. There are multiple veterinary medications used for seizure control, some of which are the same as used in humans. Although the active ingredients might be the same, the strengths and dosage forms are likely not appropriate for animal administration, and thus should be specially made by a compounding pharmacy.

Urology:
In many animals, especially cats, issues with the urinary tract can cause multiple issues. Many animals experience bladder obstructions and dysfunctions that can be potentially life threatening. Because of this, it’s important to ensure that an animal is getting an effective medication, in a form that the owner can administer easily.