Drug Administration Routes and Therapeutic Strategies in Animals: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Drugs are delivered through a number of routes for treating local or systemic diseases. It is necessary for systemically active drugs to enter the systemic circulation in order to be disseminated throughout the body, including the site of action. The effects of locally acting drugs, on the other hand, typically occur at or around the site of administration. Drugs are subjected to a variety of physiological variables and must pass through biological barriers before they reach their site of effect, whether they are utilized for systemic or local effects. Biological barriers and physiological features differ according to the various drug administration routes. There are several routes for drug administration in animals viz., oral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous and others. The drug product must be modified to fit the biological atmosphere at each route of drug administration and to maximize drug availability at the desired site of action. Considering veterinary medicine, it becomes clear that administering drugs to animals has particular difficulties because of the variety of species, body sizes, physiologies, and handling needs. Veterinary drug distribution must take into consideration for species-specific metabolism, anatomy, and behaviour. The aim of this article is to give a comprehensive understanding about the different routes used to deliver therapeutic agents in animals.