What Does a Pet Chemist Do?

Pet chemists work in a variety of settings and have varying responsibilities, but they are all involved in studying chemical processes in animals in some way. The majority of a pet chemist’s responsibilities revolve around pharmaceuticals, whether it’s creating custom pet medications or dosing human drugs for animal ailments. Chemists can work in a variety of settings, including laboratories, pharmacies, and veterinary clinics.

Most pet chemists’ jobs revolve around laboratory work. The tasks range from the mundane to the complex, such as performing veterinary tests and analyzing animal patient blood samples. Animal disease research and drug testing are two of the most in-depth areas of study.

Animal drug development is similar to human pharmacology in many ways, but it is frequently made more difficult due to the diversity of biological systems involved. Animal bodies differ from species to species, and even within species. Although a pet chemist’s dedicated animal expertise is not always required — most professionals can work on drugs intended for a variety of animals — an acute understanding of the major differences is almost always required. As a result, the majority of pet chemists who conduct drug research and testing have a background in veterinary science.

A pet chemist may also be in charge of dosing and preparing prescriptions for animals. Traditionally, the term “chemist” was used to refer to both pharmacists and lab-based scientists. A chemist, also known as a druggist, was in charge of mixing drugs according to doctors’ orders before dispensing them to patients. Many of these responsibilities are still performed modern pharmacists, who are required to have extensive pharmacological training before working behind the counter.

Pet pharmacies are only found in animal hospitals and veterinary clinics in most communities. Pet chemist jobs are typically very similar to regular pharmacy jobs, with the exception that the clients are pets and their owners. Most of the time, these experts are either veterinarians or pharmacists who have received specialized training in animal dosing. It’s a rare school that offers degrees in pet pharmacy.

Pet medications are frequently available in regular pharmacies in smaller, particularly rural communities. These pharmacies’ pharmacists must be familiar with animal drugs and able to follow veterinarian instructions for administering human medications to animals. A pharmacist is not always considered a strict pet chemist in this setting, but is expected to have the expertise to perform the pet chemist job on an as-needed basis.

The requirements for pet chemists vary a lot depending on where you live. Veterinary pharmacy licenses are occasionally required, but in most places, anyone with a pharmacy license can dispense any drug, whether for humans or animals. Animal drug dosing does not always necessitate a high level of expertise. A lot is determined local laws and customs.