For awarding of credits is needed:

- 100% participation on practical lessons (one can be missed without compensation and two must be compensate)

- obtain minimum 51% from short tests (weekly tests) and credit test in the winter and spring semester and (the evaluation is included to the final evaluation in exam)

- pass successfully the exam.

By completing the course, the student will acquire basic knowledge of general and special pharmacology. The student will learn how to calculate drug doses for animals and how to prescribe drugs. He/she will be familiar with drugs classed in different pharmacotherapeutic groups (antibacterials, antivirals, antiparasitics, drugs affecting organ systems, drugs influencing metabolism), which are used for the treatment of various diseases and optimization of animal health. The student will be able to describe the mechanisms of action of drugs, their indications, adverse effects and contraindications. At the same time, he/she will be informed about the drug forms used in veterinary medicine and about the way how to obtain data of drugs registered in Slovakia. Completing the course the student is prepared for further clinical subjects in the area of therapy of animal diseases.

The education process is focused on three parts: pharmacology (general and special), pharmacy and pharmacotherapeutics. The principles of three phases drugs-organism interactions are determined by the general pharmacology:

- the pharmaceutical phase is aimed to incompatibilities in vitro, disintegration of the dosage form and release of the active substance;

- the pharmacokinetic phase determines the fate of administered substances in the living organism (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) and

- the pharmacodynamic phase accounts for the interaction of the drug with respect to the receptor of subsequent therapeutic effect.

A part of general pharmacology explains the basic principles of dosage regimen, interactions with co-administration of several substances, adverse effects of drugs, the drugs residues and their determination in food.

The special pharmacology is focused on the description of drugs used in the pharmacotherapy of infectious diseases (antimicrobials) against parasites (antiparasites), for disinfection and the drugs affecting individual organ systems (CNS drugs, autonomic nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system etc.).

The part of Pharmacy comprises legislation connected with performance of veterinary pharmacy, classification characteristics of dosage forms and their preparation.

The part of Pharmacotherapeutics contains information about the most frequently used mass produced preparations in clinical practice with emphasis on contraindications, interactions and side effects in animals.

Syllabus of Lectures:

1. Therapy of parasitic diseases - antiprotozoan drugs: anticoccidials, trichomoniasis, histomoniasis, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis and theileriosis treatment. Ectoparsiticides (antiarthropodic insecticides, avermectins, organophosphates, carbamates, organohalogens, newer antiarthropodics repellent agents, attractants).

2. Anthelmintics - division, mechanism of action, resistance, fate of use and residua. Antinematodal drugs: imidazoles, organophosphates, tetrahydropyrimidines, antibiotics, piperazine and related agents, and other antinematodal drugs.

Antitrematodal drugs: benzimidazoles, drugs with principal activity against immature and adult trematodes. Anticestodal drugs: classic and modern agents, pyrazinoisoquinolines, benzazepines, tetrahydropyrimidines; anthelmintic combination.

3. Antiseptics and disinfectants: cleansers, alcohol, halogens, chlorhexidine, aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, phenols, gases; factors affecting efficacy of antiseptics, resistance and usage in veterinary medicine.

4. Drugs acting on the central and peripheral nervous systems: general inhalation and injectable anesthetics; premedication. Local anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents.

5. Sedative agents: tranquilizers, α2-agonists, and related agents. Anticonvulsant and antispasmodic drugs. CNS stimulants and analeptic agents.

6. Opioid analgesics. Autacoids and the analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory drugs.

7. Drugs acting on the autonomic (vegetative) nervous system: neurotransmitters and receptors, parasympathomimetics, parasympatholytics, sympathomimetics, sympatholytics, ganglionic blocking agents.

8. Drugs acting on cardiovascular system: positive inotropes, vasodilator drugs, antiarrhytmic agents, Drugs acting on blood – antianemic, hemostatic and anticoagulant drugs. Drugs affecting renal function and fluid-electrolyte balance: diuretics.

9. Drugs affecting the respiratory system: bronchodilators, antitussives, expectorants, mucokinetics/ mucolytic agents, decongestants (membrane shrinking drugs), respiratory stimulants.

10. Drugs affecting gastrointestinal system: appetite stimulants (stomachics, digestants), emetics, antiemetics, antacids, prokinetics, laxatives and cathartics, adsorbents, astringents, spasmolytic drugs affecting the forestomach, propionates, antitympanics, antidiarrhoeal agents.

11. Drugs acting on reproductive system: gonadal hormones hormonal regulation of glands, gonadotropins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone, prostaglandines, synchronization of the heat, uterotonics, uterorelaxants.

12. Drugs acting on the skin and the accessible mucous membranes: adsorbents and protectives, emollients, astringents, vesicants, caustics and escharotics, keratolytics, keratoplastics and antiseborrheics, dressing, topical antibiotics, antifungal agents and glucocorticostroid use in dermatology.

13. Nutritional pharmacology: fat- and water-soluble vitamins, macroelements, trace elements and miscellaneous nutrients.

Syllabus of Practicals:

1. Antibiotics - economical and targeted use in clinical practice. Antimicrobial susceptibility - assessment and importance in pharmacotherapy.

2. Detection of sulfonamide blood/plasma levels. Therapeutic significance of sulfonamides and quinolones.

3. Analysis of pharmaceuticals with parasiticidal effect.

4. Drugs influencing autonomic nervous system. The effect of parasympathotropic substances on the glands and iris.

5. The effects of local anesthetics and keratolytics.

6. General inhalation anaesthetics

7. Drugs used in neuroleptanalgesia and neuroleptanethesia.

8. General injectable anaesthetics

9. Pharmacotherapy of cardiovascular system. Testing the anticoagulant effect of heparin.

10. NSAIDs.

11. Drugs acting on GIT. Comparison of the effect of adsorbents in vitro. The effect of antitympanics (anti-bloating agents) in vitro.

12. Credit test. Drugs affecting respiratory and reproductive functions.

13. Antiseptics and dermatological drugs. Vitamins and minerals.

1./ Adams H.R. (ed.): Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 8th Edition, Iowa State Press - A Blackwell Publishing Company, 2001, 1174 pp.

2./ Riviere J.E., Papich M.G. (ed.): Veterinary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 9th Edition, Blackwell Publishing, 2009, 1524 pp.

3./ Šutiak V., Berecký I., Lopuchovský J.: Guide-book of Prescriptions and Practical Pharmacological Exercises, UVM Košice, 2002, 270 pp.

4./ Brenner G.M., Stevens C.W.: Pharmacology, 2nd Edition, Saunders, 2006, 510 pp.

5./ Wanamaker B. P., Massey K. L.: Applied Pharmacology for the Veterinary Technician, 3rd Edition, Saunders, 2004, 436 pp.

6./ The Merck Veterinary Manual: http://www.merckvetmanual.com

7./ Plumb D.C.: Plumb’s Veterinary Drug Handbook, 6th Edition, Blackwell Publishing, 2008, 1463 pp.

Content prerequisite:

The study of Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapeutics requires the attendance of following subjects: Latin terminology, Anatomy I, Anatomy II, Biochemistry and Physiology.

Continuous assessment:

The student´s performance will be assessed by the use of current tests (small tests) between the 2nd and 11th week and credit test in the 12th week of the semester. A minimum of 51% must be achieved from each small test and credit test. The obtained avarage percentages from the winter and spring semester are included in the final examination.

Conditions for completion of course:

For awarding of credits is needed:

- 100% participation on practical lessons (one can be missed without compensation and two must be compensate)

- obtain minimum 51% from short tests (weekly tests) and credit test in the winter and spring semester and (the evaluation is included to the final evaluation in exam)

- pass successfully the exam.

Final assessment:

Students finish the course with an exam. A condition for passing the exam is obtaining a credit.

Credits are awarded on the base of successful small tests from the winter and spring semester and credit test and written examination.

The examination test consists of questions from practical exercises (including prescription, pharmacy and pharmacotherapeutics), general and special pharmacology. The students’ performance and knowledge will be assessed and the results expressed in percentages according to the classification: 91-100% A and 81-90% B 71-80% C 61-70% D 51-60% E 50 and less Fx.