Veterinary Drug Therapy

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The goal of drug therapy in veterinary patients is to produce a specific pharmacological response while minimizing adverse effects. A patient’s response to any given therapy is controlled by variety of factors including disease, age, gender, body weight, and other environmental factors. In every population of animals or humans, there is a large amount of variability in the way individuals respond to drug therapy. From a clinical standpoint, this is an important issue that can lead to therapeutic failures or adverse drug reactions (ADRs). By understanding the genetic heritability of traits that influence drug metabolism, clinicians can use this knowledge to individualize treatment protocols and tailor drug and dose selection to individual needs. …show more content…
Briefly, a genome of any given species contains genetic code which that can be transcribed into ribonucleic acid (RNA) to produce proteins. These proteins are composed of particular amino acid sequences. Three nucleotides in the RNA strand combine to form a codon, which codes for a particular amino acid, which make up the final protein. It is at the level of the RNA genetic base pairs where variation often occurs in individuals. These differences are usually the result of mutations of these specific gene sequences. When these mutations occur at a higher frequency in a given species population, they are called polymorphisms and have been suggested as an explanation for some of the variations seen in patient response to therapeutic intervention. These amino-acid mutations result from a single nucleotide change and can greatly influence the function and structure of particular metabolizing enzymes, leading to greater diversity in drug …show more content…
Identified drug metabolism genetic polymorphisms in veterinary species
Understanding the clinical importance of pharmacogenomics in veterinary medicine allows scientists to look for key genetic variables that can influence therapy decisions in individual patients. Across all domestic species, the most physical diversity can be found across breeds of dogs, with weights ranging from 2 pounds to 200 pounds and many metabolic and physiologic differences even across closely related breeds. These genotypic differences can be linked to specific genetic mutation that can identify a disease predilection or affect therapeutic decisions (Martinez, 2008).
There are several clinical examples that help bridge pharmacogenomics to veterinary medicine. A common problem seen in small animal veterinary clinics includes collie breeds sensitivity to certain drugs. Members of this breed of dogs have been shown to have a metabolic deficiency due to the absence of the MDR-1 gene coding for a p-glycoprotein transporter. This protein is a drug transport pump that plays an important role in limiting drug absorption and distribution, as well as enhancing the excretion of many drugs used in dogs (Roulet, 2003). Without this transporter, certain drugs are poorly absorbed in these breeds and can lead to an adverse drug reactions, ranging from toxicity to