Our "specialty service should not be viewed as competition with local veterinarians; rather, compounding allows veterinarians to broaden their prescribing abilities and to offer [dosage] forms that are patient-specific in strength and formulation. Therefore, the goal of compounding for the veterinary patient is to enhance the veterinarian's ability to treat patients in a more effective and efficient manner...

"Compounding can make medicating animals easier if the pharmacist prepares flavored chews that animals accept readily. For example, tranquilizing a feral cat with a liver-flavored chew eliminates the possibility of over- or underdosing. If a chew contains 10mg acepromazine and the dose fails to gain a response, a second flavored chew can be given to the animal. Furthermore, the amount of medication incorporated into the chews, capsules, [topical or transdermal], or liquid preparations can be formulated to the specific request of the veterinarian, thereby eliminating the need to cut-up tablets and divide the contents of commercially prepared capsules... As manufacturers decide that certain products are no longer economically rewarding to market, the list of commercially prepared veterinary medication becomes smaller. At present, the armamentarium of medications available for animals is less than perfect. Cherry-flavored amoxicillin or orange-flavored cephalexin may not be [appealing to a cat or monkey]..."

Veterinary Forum October 2002, (pp. 62-65)