Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology

The course aims to provide students with the essential theoretical and practical elements for a correct and comprehensive understanding of the dynamic and kinetic processes of drugs and toxic substances of greatest relevance in animal species of veterinary interest.
It also aims to provide students with knowledge of the main pharmacological classes and the tools for the proper use of drugs in animals, both in terms of disease control and treatment and in the production of food of animal origin intended for human consumption.
Furthermore, the course aims to provide students with knowledge of sources of poisoning, mechanisms of action, and symptoms of the main toxic substances responsible for acute and chronic poisonings in different animal species of veterinary interest, with a species-specific approach.

1) Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course, students will acquire in-depth knowledge of kinetics and dynamics of substances with pharmacological and toxic activity. They will understand drug mechanisms of action, their use, and safety. Students will also understand the main toxic substances, their mechanisms of action, and symptomatology responsible for acute and chronic poisoning in the different species of veterinary interest.

2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
Students will acquire the competences needed to select a drug based on its mechanism of action, understand the rules for its prescription and administration, and evaluate risks and benefits of treatment. They will also be able to assess pharmacokinetic profiles and manage pharmacovigilance and drug surveillance. Additionally, they will gain skills to evaluate poisoning incidents in different animal species by associating them with the main responsible toxic agents.

3) Critical thinking and judgment:
Students will be required to use the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired for the proper use of veterinary drugs, as well as to understand the causes of poisoning in animal species of veterinary interest.

4) Communication skills:
Students must be able to present the acquired knowledge using appropriate terminology consistent with that used in other disciplines, both during lectures and practical sessions, and in exams.

5) Ability for lifelong autonomous learning:
Students must demonstrate the ability to use the acquired knowledge to effectively study professional subjects, especially veterinary therapy and treatment of poisoning, in order to be fully prepared to enter the workforce.