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Pharmacology can be defined as the effect of drugs on living systems. Drugs can mimic or inhibit the natural processes of the body; it is therefore crucial to understand how these processes work to truely understand the effect of a drug. As such the principles of pharmacology touch on all aspects of veterinary medicine and are essential to grasp to fully appreciate drug use in practice.
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* Pharmacokinetics
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Drugs mainly exert their effects on the body by binding to a target molecule. A few drugs used in veterinary medicine depend upon their physical properties; an example of this would be the use of liquid paraffin in a horse with an impacted colic.
* Pharmacodynamics
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* Drug Interactions
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The way that drugs interact with the body can be divided into two strict catergories:
* Adverse Drug Reactions
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* [[Pharmacodynamics]] - the action that drugs have upon the body
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* [[Pharmacokinetics]] - the actions that the body has upon drugs
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Often combinations of drugs can enhance their power over a certain disease process but often a combination can cause deleterious effects on the body.
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[[Adverse Drug Reactions|Adverse drug reactions]] are a common aspect of the veterinary profession. It can be a challenge to recognise the signs of an adverse reaction as they can affect several organ systems simultaneously and can occur over varying periods of time.
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==Literature Search==
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[[File:CABI logo.jpg|left|90px]]
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Use these links to find recent scientific publications via CAB Abstracts (log in required unless accessing from a subscribing organisation).
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<br><br><br>[http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2009/20093142606.pdf '''Review of how drugs work.''' Fajt, V. R.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Large animal proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 17-21 January, 2009, 2009, pp 311-314, 4 ref. - '''Full Text Article''']
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[http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2009/20093142604.pdf ''' Review of how drugs move through the body.''' Fajt, V. R.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Large animal proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 17-21 January, 2009, 2009, pp 307-310, 2 ref. - '''Full Text Article''']
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[http://www.cabi.org/cabdirect/FullTextPDF/2009/20093142607.pdf ''' How to evaluate drug information.''' Fajt, V. R.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Large animal proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 17-21 January, 2009, 2009, pp 315-317, 1 ref. - '''Full Text Article''']