Routes

Question 1

Routes of administration of medication

Answer 1

Oral (in the mouth)
Injectable
Topical (directly to where required eg eye drops)

Question 2

4 pros of oral route

Answer 2

• Quick, easy and convenient.
• Owners can dose their animals at home.
• Depending on the medication, it can go straight to where it is needed.
• Can often be given with food without the animal even knowing, or even disguised as a treat.

Question 3

4 cons of oral route

Answer 3

• The drug will not be absorbed as quickly as with other routes.
• Can be unreliable compared with other routes..
• Food in the GI tract may delay the absorption of the drug into the bloodstream.
• If the animal is vomiting, this route is not reliable.

Question 4

3 examples of topical route

Answer 4

• Creams / ointments
• Eye drops
• Ear drops

Question 5

Intravenous route

Answer 5

This route will provide the fastest distribution of the drug to where it is needed as it is placed directly into the bloodstream.

Question 6

3 cons of I/V route

Answer 6

• Requires a sterile environment – high risk of infection.
• Often, drugs for intravenous use can be highly irritant if accidentally injected around the vein.
• Requires special restraint technique – can often be difficult with feisty animals.

Question 7

3 pros of Intramuscular

Answer 7

• Muscle tissue is very vascular, therefore drug is absorbed very quickly.
• Easier than i/v injection as less restraint needed.
• Always draw back the syringe when the needle is introduced to ensure you haven’t hit a blood vessel.

Question 8

2 cons of I/M

Answer 8

• Can sometimes be painful, depending on the volume of the drug being injected, and the viscosity of the drug.
• Large quantities cannot be given this way.

Question 9

2 pros of Subcutaneous

Answer 9

• Rarely painful, and are often not even noticed by the animal
• Larger volumes of a drug can be injected this way than the i/m route.

Question 10

4 cons of S/C

Answer 10

• Slower to act than administration by i/m or i/v injection.
• In rare instances, can cause skin reactions.
• Larger volumes can be given than by i/m injection.
• As before, always draw back the syringe to check for blood.

Question 11

Factors to consider when deciding the route of administration

Answer 11

• The disease and how it affects the body
• The drug being prescribed and how it is formulated
• The condition and temperament of the animal
• And potentially the owners ability to administer the drug

Question 12

Adverse reaction

Answer 12

Any changes in the animals condition during or after the administration of a drug must be reported to the veterinary surgeon immediately.

• May be due to a known side effect of the drug
• May be an unknown adverse reaction which needs to be reported to Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD)