Choosing a Formulation and Calculating a Dose

Question 1

What are the pros and cons of oral administration of drugs?

Answer 1

(Oral is preferred by clients and most patients but oral has the most variable absorption and cannot be used when there is GI dz)

Question 2

What are the pros and cons of intramuscular administration of drugs?

Answer 2

(Tolerated by most patients, not really tolerated by clients, reliable absorptions, greater risk for injection site reactions)

Question 3

What are the pros and cons of subcutaneous administration of drugs?

Answer 3

(Better tolerated by both patients and clients compared to IM, absorption is good in a normally hydrated patients, SC is rarely used in horses d/t desired volume)

Question 4

What are the pros and cons of intravenous administration of drugs?

Answer 4

(Not done by owners, typically well tolerated by patients, most technically difficult, and highest absorption = highest risk for adverse effects)

Question 5

(T/F) All injectable medications can be given IV, IM, or SQ.

Answer 5

(F)

Question 6

(T/F) Not all injectable medications can be given PO.

Answer 6

(T, read the literature)

Question 7

What will affect whether you want to overdose or underdose a patient when you can’t quite give the exact dose?

Answer 7

(Safety of the drug, bioavailability, and what you are treating)

Question 8

Most medications have a suggested dose range, in what instances is the higher end the goal?

Answer 8

(When the bacteria being treated have higher MICs (using a higher dose could tx an intermediate bacteria), difficult site of infection, anaerobes, and poorly perfused tissue that can’t be removed)

Question 9

Why should you take the heart rate of a horse prior to administering potassium penicillin?

Answer 9

(Bc it causes tachycardia)

Question 10

(T/F) It is normal for a horse to have soft stools for the majority of the time they are being treated with potassium penicillin.

Answer 10

(F, normal to have a soft stool within the first 15 minutes of their first dose but it is abnormal if it persists)

Question 11

Why should you change the needle after drawing up and before injecting procaine penicillin?

Answer 11

(Bc needle you used to draw it up will be coated in PPG and if you happen to hit a vessel on your first stab, some may go IV which we want to avoid)