ADVANTAGES, DISADVANTAGES AND APPLICATIONS OF COMMON PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORMS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE

I. Classification of dosage forms used in veterinary medicine
1. By route of administration
Digestive tract: Oral, oral mucosa, rectal
Injection: Intramuscular, subcutaneous, intravenous injection
Respiratory tract.
Skin and mucous membranes: Local effect, systemic effect


 
2. By physical/chemical properties
 
 
Classifying dosage forms by route of administration and physical form not only helps to understand the characteristics of each drug form but also supports the selection of appropriate treatment methods, ensuring both effectiveness and safety for the animals.
The diversity in pharmaceutical dosage forms reflects the development of the pharmaceutical industry in general and veterinary medicine in particular, meeting the increasingly high and complex treatment needs.
II. Some common dosage forms used in veterinary medicine 
1. Oral form
a. Drink powder or feed mix powder
Powdered medicine is a dry, loose solid medicine, for oral or external use, prepared from one or more types of powdered medicine of a specified size by thoroughly mixing them into a homogeneous mixture.
- Advantages:
+ Bioavailability: Easy to release drug, easy to transport.
+ Chemically more stable than the liquid form.
- Disadvantages: Easy hygroscopic.
Some products of Fivevet: Five-Anticoccid.A, Five-Tylosin, Five-Prozyme 5 way, ...


b. Granules form
Definition: are preparations formulated in the form of small, porous particles or short, porous fibers, introduced into the animal's body orally.
- Advantages:
+ Beautiful aesthetics, suitable for nutritional products because sugar is a filler excipient that plays a role in flavoring and providing energy.
+ Easy to pack and transport.
+ Easy to combine with incompatible ingredients.
- Disadvantages:
+ Must be dispersed or dissolved in water before use.
+ Preparation is more complicated than the usual powder form.
Some products of Fivevet: B.comlex-K&C,…
c. Tablet
Definition: is a solid drug form prepared by compressing one or more pharmaceutical ingredients, possibly adding excipients, with many different formats and sizes. Each tablet is a unit of dosage, introduced into the animal's body in many different ways depending on the treatment purpose.
- Advantages:
+ Divide the dose relatively accurately.
+ Lightweight, easy to transport.
+ Masks the unpleasant taste of the drug.
+ The drug is stable and has a longer shelf life than liquid drugs.
- Disadvantages:
+ Bioavailability varies erratically depending on many factors during the preparation process, such as humidity, temperature, excipients, compression force, ...
Some products of Fivevet: Five-Azimax, Five-Flucan, Five-Alben, Five-Pypra,…


d. Oral solution
Oral solutions are liquid preparations containing one or more pharmaceutical ingredients dissolved in a solvent or a mixture of solvents, administered into the animal's body orally.
- Advantages:
+ Bioavailability: drug absorption is faster than in solid and suspension forms.
+ Ensures uniform dosing when used and high accuracy when diluting or mixing solutions.
- Disadvantages:
+ Poor drug stability: hydrolysis, oxidation reactions, or the growth of bacteria and molds can cause drug degradation.
Some products of Fivevet: Five-Aminovit super, Five-Orgamin, Five-Caphos, Five-Selevit Oral, Five-Ivertin.100 Oral, Five-DiclaCox,…
e. Oral suspension
Oral suspensions are liquid preparations containing insoluble solid pharmaceutical ingredients, dispersed in the form of very small particles in a carrier (water or oil), administered orally into the animal's body.
- Advantages: 
+ It is possible to prepare solid drugs that are insoluble or slightly soluble in derivatives in the form of liquid drugs, limiting the disadvantages of some drugs that are unstable when dissolved and have an unpleasant taste.
- Disadvantages:
+ Preparation is more complicated than the oral solution.
+ Dosage is difficult if solid particles settle too quickly.
Some products of Fivevet: Five-Cox 5%, Five-alben 100 oral,…


f. Oral emulsion
Oral emulsions are liquid or semi-liquid preparations formulated by using emulsifying agents to uniformly mix two immiscible liquids.
- Advantages:
+ Allows easy combination of immiscible liquid compounds or solid drugs that are soluble in only one type of solvent.
+ Masks the unpleasant taste, reduces gastrointestinal irritation.
- Disadvantages:
+ Not stable, prone to phase separation.
+ The preparation technology is complicated, requiring specialized equipment, emulsifiers, etc. and mastering the preparation technique.
2. Injection form: solution, suspension, emulsion, powder for injection
Regarding definition and sensory distinction: basically the same as the corresponding oral dosage forms, except that injectable medications do not have added color, smell, or flavor, if any, it is only the color of the main active ingredient/solvent/excipient.
Technical characteristics different from oral form: sterile, high purity.
- Advantages: 
+ Bioavailability: absorbed faster than the corresponding form by other routes, high and stable.
+ Precise dosage control.
+ Suitable for many drugs that cannot be used orally.
+ Effects: May give an immediate biological response when administered intravenously.
+ This is the best form of medication to use when the animal is unconscious or unable to cooperate to take the medication orally.
- Disadvantages:
+ Injectable drugs are injected directly into tissues, bypassing the protective barriers of the skin and mucous membranes => requiring sterility and purity to avoid causing complications for the animal.
+ High cost.
Some products of Fivevet: Five-S.Prim, Five-Cefone@LA ,…



 3. Topical solution
A liquid preparation containing one or more pharmaceutical ingredients dissolved in one or more solvents, used by applying, smearing, spraying or washing onto the surface of the skin, mucous membranes or tissues outside the body.
- Advantages:
+ Fast local effect.
+ Reduce systemic side effects.
+ Easy to use.
- Disadvantages:
+ May cause irritation to sensitive areas.
+ Limited permeability.
+ Easily evaporated or washed away.
Some products of Fivevet: Five-Clean Ear, Charmie Skin, Five-Genta Drop, Five-Butomec, Five-Fipronil spot on,…