The administration of oral medications and supplements to animals is complicated by mouth structure, saliva production, and compliance issues. Typically, dosing poses risk to the handler of biting, the opportunity for the animal to either intentionally or unintentionally reject the medication. In some cases, a dosing device may be combined with reformulation of the dose but still pose a risk to the treating handler.
We describe a formulation technique that can be successfully applied to veterinary medications that incorporates a non-swelling, low residue gel vehicle in combination with species appropriate palatants. The vehicle is non-nutritive and does not encourage gastric retention.
The influence of formulation vehicles on drug bioavailability is discussed with relevance to physicochemical behaviour of the administered substance and in vivo investigation of the formulation’s distribution during the absorption phase. By understanding the characteristics of the formulation and its in vivo behaviour, methodology can also be developed that challenges the formulation for the presence of in toto and available residual or prohibited substances.