In her work as a veterinary pharmacologist, Clinical Professor of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences Sherry Cox never knows exactly what she’s going to get when she opens her email. It could be a request from a veterinarian asking Cox’s team to determine the concentration of a drug to treat the shell of a turtle infected with fungal disease. Or it could be an inquiry from a researcher wondering whether the team can help them figure out the dose of antacid they should give goats and sheep with ulcers.
In one email, a veterinarian wanted to know whether Cox’s team could determine the concentration of an extended-release antibiotic in tigers to determine how to best treat them. Figuring this out would make the difference between trying to give a sick tiger a pill every 12 hours — a difficult task — or a shot once a month.
In the College of Veterinary Medicine pharmacology lab, Cox and her colleagues analyze drug levels in animals from zoos and aquariums nationwide, from tiny mice to majestic elephants and from penguins to farm animals. Whether it’s a dolphin with an infection or a tiger in pain, the team helps veterinarians determine the right treatment, including how much medicine is best for each animal. Read more at The Conversation.
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