Abstract

FROM PILL TO PET: NAVIGATING THE COMPLEXITIES OF VETERINARY PHARMACY

Sharvari Sunil Basarkar*

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Abstract

Background: As the need for cross-species healthcare expertise grows (Particularly with zoonotic diseases), veterinary pharmacy is an overlooked but highly relevant field for pharmacists. Their training makes them indispensable resources for physicians, veterinarians and researchers alike. Veterinary pharmacy isn't just another career path for pharmacists – it's a gateway to broader public health roles. Pharmacists who understand both human and animal health are poised to make critical contributions in disease control, medication management, and drug development. Objective: As community pharmacists increasingly contribute to veterinary patient care in the US, it's crucial for pharmacists and veterinarians to collaborate and define the specific roles pharmacists will play in supporting animal health. This study investigated the perspectives of both community pharmacists and veterinarians to understand their views on working together (interprofessional collaboration) and the potential role of community pharmacists in caring for animals. Methods: To gather information on how pharmacists and veterinarians in Ohio view collaboration and the potential role of pharmacists in veterinary care, researchers sent surveys to both professions. These surveys collected information about the individuals (demographics) and explored their opinions on working together, what role they see for pharmacists, what they expect from pharmacists, and their past experiences collaborating. Finally, researchers analyzed the data using a statistical test called a chi-square test. Result: While both veterinary pharmacists and specialists dispense medications, ensure compliance, and promote good treatment methods, specialists go further by offering consultations, research, and education. This expanded role is seen as requiring deeper knowledge of veterinary medicine, compared to the more focused duties typically associated with veterinary pharmacists.

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