Everyone loves having a pet or at least enjoys being around with one. They are fun, warm, loving, and all they expect from you is to feed them! Also, some sciences claim how our pets can help us in circumstances during which we experience sadness, depression or the feeling of being alone. Pets are truly good companions. Luckily, there are people who specialize in taking care of the welfare of not only our pets but other animals as well that play important roles in our society.



The field of veterinary pharmacy is a branch of pharmacy that deals with proper, effective, and safety medication preparation and distribution for animals. Some veterinarian pharmacists are pet owners themselves. Clients feel more comfortable knowing that the people taking care of their darlings can understand and have experienced such certain circumstances. One reason why pharmacists enjoy this specific field is because of the interaction between them and their patients and also the pet owners. Veterinary pharmacists find it a very rewarding profession; it’s like hitting two birds with one stone.

But there are actually 2 major patients that veterinary pharmacies cater to – companion animals or what we commonly call pets, and livestock/farm animals. Companion animals include our favorite house pets such as dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, birds, lizards, mice, etc. Majority of community pharmacies can cater to this type of patients since it requires less specialized training and procedures. Companion animals’ owners prefer convenience for their pets even if it will cost them more as long as they know that their dogs or cats get the best and most comfortable treatments, talking about pampering. The most common health problems veterinarian pharmacists experience for pet animals are worms, fleas, ticks, mites, lice, and dental problems.

On the other hand, farm or livestock animals’ pharmacists require a more specialized and deeper understanding of the farming systems. Most veterinary pharmacies serving this type of patients are usually located in livestock areas. They generally attend to the pharmaceutical needs of cattle, chicken, horse, goats, pigs, sheep, rabbits, etc. If house pets enjoy red carpet treatment from their doctors, the case may not be the case for farm and livestock patients. Obviously, it makes business sense when clients choose cheaper treatments and medications even if it means less relaxed experience for their animals. Also, livestock animal diseases can affect other animals, decrease production, and in worst cases infect humans.

If direct contact to animals does not appeal to you that much then there are other areas veterinary pharmacists can practice their profession. You can try clinical research, veterinary regulatory agencies, or teach at veterinary schools. The field of veterinary pharmacy is continuously growing and evolving over the past couple of years. The advancement of technology in some countries also paved way for veterinary pharmacy to deal with rare and complex diseases. Veterinary pharmacy is surely a very challenging and exciting field.