Development and Formulation of Veterinary Dosage Forms

Book excerpt: Although the United States (U.S.) and the more developed nations of the remainder of the world are blessed with a variety of pharmaceuticals, feed additives, and biological products to treat, prevent, and control animal diseases, there is a healthy desire among persons involved in animal health issues to increase our animal medicine chest. The interest stems from the desire to efficiently produce food that is safe and plentiful and from the desire to have more and better government-approved products available for the prevention and treatment of diseases of dogs, cats, and horses and for an increasing variety of minor animal species. For the animal health industry, increased drug availability means broader markets, increased revenues, and an opportunity to better serve their customers. For the veterinarian, more animal health products means that he or she is better able to treat the usual and the unusual conditions, and to prevent animal disease and suffering. No doubt, we are all winners when new technology and industrial and regulatory initiatives hasten the availability of safe and effective animal health products.