Invited Speaker: Zoological Pharmacology: Of Mice and Elephants

Lack of approved pharmaceutical agents and pharmacokinetic data in the literature for exotic, wildlife, and zoo species is a major issue for veterinarians treating these species. Zoo veterinarians take approved agents (veterinary or human) and extrapolate their use to nonapproved species, often with little or no scientific basis to support drug or dose selection. Species differences in drug absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion have been well documented for domestic species. However, there has been limited research into similar information for non-domestic species.