Veterinary medicine products 2

Question 1

musculoskeletal drugs?

Answer 1

anti-inflammatories

chondroprotective agents

Question 2

NSAIDS?

Answer 2

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

• act on site of pain
• reduce inflammation, fever and pain

inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX)

• COX 1: functioning of a wide variety of body tissues
• COX 2: role in inflammatory process

some are not COX 2 specific (eg aspirin)
- cause gastric ulcerations and diarrhoea
some are COX 2 specific (eg meloxicam)
- though to be safer

Question 3

NSAID nursing implications?

Answer 3

oral NSAIDSs should be given with food

• COX enzymes control other functions
• eg stomach acid regulation - so don’t want empty stomach as can cause ulcers

before surgery need to be starved so injectable NSAIDs

Question 4

adverse effects of NSAIDs?

Answer 4

GIT ulcerations
- lessen if given with food

vomiting and diarrhoea
- stop giving

renal failure

• nephrotoxic drugs
• so long term use can cause renal failure

hepatic effects
- cause unusual liver enzyme count

Question 5

chondroprotective agents?

Answer 5

used to treat osteoarthritis in canines and equines

have strong affinity to joint cartilage

• therapeutic concentrations for up to 4 days after admission
• give initial loading dose then 1 month/6 weeks intervals

preserves joint cartilage and maintains joint health

• stimulates cartilage production
• maintains existing cartilage by inhibiting degrading enzymes
• increases quality and quantity of synovial fluid
• increases blood supply to joint

Question 6

using NSAIDS and corticosteroids?

Answer 6

should not be administered together

• can cause enhanced adverse effects
• on kidneys, platelets and GI tract

why it’s important to gain full medical history prior to administration of any medication

Question 7

gastrointestinal system drugs?

Answer 7

antidiarrhoeal agents 
anti-emetics 
emetics 
laxatives 
stomach ulcer drugs

Question 8

antidiarrhoeal agents?

Answer 8

absorbents

• eg activated charcoal
• absorbs toxins preventing them being absorbed by intestine
• toxin then eliminated via faeces

modulators

• eg diphenoxylate
• a member of opiate group - opiate side effects used for drug
• increases muscle tone of intestine
• so greater absorption of water and nutrients

Question 9

anti-emetics and emetics?

Answer 9

emesis = vomiting

anti-emetics - prevent vomiting

• acts centrally on receptor sites in CNS
• stimulates oesophageal, gastric and intestinal motility
• so GIT moves faster
• decreases tone of the pyloric sphincter
• so stomach acid empties more readily

emetics - induce vomiting

• has a rapid onset (4-6 minutes)
• more effective in dogs than cats
• empty entire stomach
• use when eaten something toxic
• don’t use when digested large foreign bodies - surgery?

Question 10

laxatives?

Answer 10

increase defecation 
can be:
- lubricative (liquid paraffin)
- bulk-forming (fibre)
- osmotic (enemas)
- stimulant (stimulate colonic mortality)

Question 11

stomach ulcer drugs?

Answer 11

antacids
proton pump inhibitors
H2 receptor agonists

Question 12

antacids?

Answer 12

neutralise stomach acid production

decease pepsin activity
no usually absorbed into systemic circulation

can interact with other medications (eg heart meds)
can have laxative effect

Question 13

proton pump inhibitors?

Answer 13

inhibit stomach acid production

• less not none
• by inhibiting protein pump action in stomach cells

give before food

• eating stimulates acid production
• need time to work

Question 14

H2 receptor agonists?

Answer 14

inhibit gastric secretion
- effective for around 8 hours

do not administer with an antacid

Question 15

eye drugs?

Answer 15

mydriatics 
miotics 
fluorescein 
antimicrobial eye drops
steroidal eye medications

Question 16

mydriatics and miotics?

Answer 16

mydriatics

• dilate the pupil
• by reducing spasms in ciliary muscle

miotics

• constrict the pupil
• allow drainage for ocular fluid
• used to treat intraocular pressure/glaucoma

Question 17

fluorescein?

Answer 17

dye/stain to detect an injury or foreign bodies

green = damage to cornea

Question 18

antiparasitic agents?

Answer 18

used to treat parasitic infections

endoparasiticides and ectoparasiticides

Question 19

endoparasiticides?

Answer 19

treat internal parasites

• helminth infection = parasitic worm burden
• anthelmintic = wormer

accurate weight of patient necessary
- over or under dosing can cause resistance

Question 20

anthelmintics?

Answer 20

wormers
- interfere with energy systems

can be vermicide

• kill the parasite whilst in host
• breaks down and release toxins
• case toxic effect on host
• not ideal if high level of parasites to kill

can be vermifuge

• paralysed parasite so cant function
• passed out of host alive
• then dies since no energy system to function
• rigid = don’t move so obstruct intestines
• flaccid = can move so no obstruction

some can be both

Question 21

ectoparasiticides? types? action? contraindications?

Answer 21

treat external parasites

can be acaricides
- act against ascarids and arachnids (eg mites and ticks)
can be insecticides 
-  act against insects (eg fleas)
some are both 

action is to stop growth, can be by:
- killing adult mites
- regular growth 
- inhibit chitin development (exoskeletons)
so stops developing and reproducing 

contraindications

• moved away from organophosphate compounds (eg permetherin)
• because toxic to cats - seizures and death
• don’t use in patient in multi-animal house

Question 22

advantages of oral over topical preparations?

Answer 22

reduction of exposure to owners and environment
- not rubbed on self or furniture

efficacy isn’t influenced by external variables
- eg water/swimming

easy to avoid under and over dosing
- dispense exact amount

Question 23

disadvantages of oral preperations?

Answer 23

rely on parasite ingesting the drug in a blood meal

• parasite must bite and ingest before wormer can work
• risk of allergy or infection