84 TABLETING
For many animals taking medicine can be a very unpleasant experience
Debora Nelson explains the science behind palatable oral dosage medication in the companion animal marketplace.
Palatable medicine for pets T
he ease of administering oral medication to companion animals
is a major aspect of owner compliance and has a significant impact on an animal’s health. Te willingness of an animal to voluntarily ingest medicine is dependent upon the palatability, texture, size, shape and colour of the product.
In other words, when an owner places the medicine in a feeding bowl or in an outstretched hand, the pet willingly and by free choice accepts and consumes the medication. Palatability is the primary factor and is determined by the smell, taste and feeling of the medicine in the mouth (referred to as “good mouth feel”). Palatability is achieved by adding a palatant or flavouring
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to a formulation, like a chewable tablet or soft chew during the manufacturing process. Pharmaceutical companies have realised that when medication is ‘palatable’ there is an increase in compliance and an increase in treatment success.
Most oral medications have a bitter taste and/or an offensive aroma to animals, which makes medicating pets difficult. Animal owners usually administer oral medication via one of three ways: the ‘poke down’ method, injection, or liquid drops added to food or given orally. Tese methods are highly challenging for owners, especially if medicine is needed to be given on an empty stomach or long-term medication is required.
In the human world,
pharmaceutical companies knew that adding certain flavours to medicines could greatly increase a child’s willingness to accept medication. Tey finally realised that what worked in children could work for pets. A growing trend emerged to develop and manufacture medication that was palatable to animals.
Tose medications are most commonly flavoured with natural or artificial meat flavours. For dogs that includes animal proteins such as meat, liver and yeast flavours. Cats like meat, fish, liver, dairy and yeast. Te challenge for any formulation is to choose the most appropriate palatant to work together with the active ingredient as well as any excipients.
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