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Open research questions in Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia

75 gap statements mined from Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 559 papers on the topic — drawn mostly from each paper's own stated research gap, future-work, challenge and limitation notes, and its abstract. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one.

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What the literature leaves open

  • Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of the MDA method on animal welfare. The MDA method should be compared to other non-invasive methods for delivering analgesics in laboratory rodents. The pharmacokinetics of other analgesics when administered via the MDA method should be evaluated.

    Carprofen and buprenorphine delivery using micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) in mice · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need for non-invasive, minimally stressful drug delivery systems for laboratory rodents. Current methods for pain relief in rodents have limitations, including causing additional stress and pain. The pharmacokinetics of carprofen and buprenorphine when administered via non-invasive methods are not well understood.

    Carprofen and buprenorphine delivery using micropipette-guided drug administration (MDA) in mice · 2026 · DOI

  • The increasing misuse of xylazine and its association with skin ulcers and related infections is a public health concern. The lack of understanding of the pharmacological interplay between xylazine and tolazoline is a challenge. The development of effective treatments for xylazine misuse is a challenge.

    Tolazoline, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist, may also block xylazine at off-target sites as inferred from molecular docking · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of the pharmacological interplay between xylazine and tolazoline. The study aims to address this gap by investigating the interaction between xylazine and tolazoline.

    Tolazoline, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist, may also block xylazine at off-target sites as inferred from molecular docking · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of effective and safe pain management strategies for neurosurgical interventions in small companion animals. The need for alternative pain management regimens that reduce the risks associated with traditional opioid-based analgesia.

    Protocol of premedication with Vetcoxib® in neurosurgical interventions in small companion animals: results of a prospective controlled study · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the protocol in cats. There is a need to evaluate the use of atipamezol as a potential reversal agent.

    EFEITOS DA COMBINAÇÃO DE DEXMEDETOMIDINA E METADONA NA SEDAÇÃO DE GATOS COM E SEM O EMPREGO DO ATIPAMEZOLE · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of clinical data on the long-term use of THC-rich formulations in horses. The effects of cannabis oil administration on horse health and well-being are not well understood.

    Case Report: Oral and topical chronic administration of THC-rich and CBD-rich cannabis oil as palliative care in a rescued horse with open wound, sarcoid and chronic pain · 2026 · DOI

  • Effective pain control in cats is challenging due to their unique physiology. The use of opioids has limitations, and alternative methods are needed. The lack of validated pain scales makes it difficult to assess pain effectively.

    Bloqueio do plano transverso do abdômen e serrátil ventral em gatas submetidas a mastectomia total - relato de casos · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of studies on the use of TAP and SP blocks in cats. The current literature on pain control in cats is limited. There is a need for more research on effective pain control methods in cats.

    Bloqueio do plano transverso do abdômen e serrátil ventral em gatas submetidas a mastectomia total - relato de casos · 2026 · DOI

  • Further research with larger populations is warranted to validate these findings and to explore potential strategies for optimizing anesthetic management in dogs presented with IVDD.

    Propofol Requirements for Induction of Anaesthesia in Dogs with Cervical or Thoracolumbar Myelopathy Due to Intervertebral Disc Disease · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of information on the pharmacokinetics and physiological effects of amantadine in horses. The efficacy and safety of amantadine for pain management in horses have not been well studied.

    Assessment of pharmacokinetic parameters, oral bioavailability, and physiological effects of amantadine in horses · 2026 · DOI

  • The safety profile of tolfenamic acid after multiple administration needs to be assessed. There is a lack of information on the safety of tolfenamic acid for use in veterinary medicine.

    Animal study of NSAID agent (Tolfenamic acid) for safety profile assessment after multiple administration · 2026 · DOI

  • Several limitations of the present study should be acknowledged. Echocardiographic measurements were obtained from standard right-parasternal M-mode recordings and therefore provide only one-dimensional information about left ventricular geometry; regional wall motion abnormalities and three-dimensional changes could not be assessed.

    Echocardiographic effects of medetomidine, butorphanol, and their combination in donkeys · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of comprehensive information on the pharmacokinetic profile of dipyrone in horses and donkeys. There may be interspecies differences in the pharmacokinetics of dipyrone between horses and donkeys.

    Perfil farmacocinético da dipirona em equinos e asininos: Protocolo de revisão sistemática · 2026 · DOI

  • Quinidine has long been used for the pharmacological treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses; however, the plasma concentration required for conversion to sinus rhythm remains unclear.

    Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Analysis of Quinidine‐Induced Dominant Frequency Reduction in Thoroughbred Horses With Atrial Fibrillation · 2026 · DOI

  • The paper identifies the gap in previous studies having limited objectives and multiple sources without cross-study comparisons and formal population assessments. It also identifies the challenge of identifying covariate and random effects in population modeling using a PBPK/PD structure for horses.

    Prior-informed population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of dexamethasone in horses · 2026 · DOI

  • More updated estimates are limited, partially due to the lack of a dedicated ICD-10 code-a primary mechanism used to specify drugs implicated in overdose deaths in the US, including in the CDC WONDER system, which provides public data for download with a 6-month lag.

    Assessing an ICD-10 code approach for estimating xylazine-involved overdose deaths in the United States · 2025 · DOI

  • While the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of isoflupredone acetate (IPA) following intra-articular administration to horses has been well described, studies characterizing intramuscular (IM) administration are lacking.

    Characterization of intramuscular Isoflupredone acetate in horses: pharmacokinetics and effects on anti-inflammatory mediators and plasma electrolytes · 2025 · DOI

  • Anaesthesia carries an inherent risk of morbidity and mortality in veterinary patients, yet the clinical impact of comprehensive pre-anaesthetic assessment (PAA) is insufficiently quantified.

    Influence of Comprehensive Pre-Anaesthetic Assessment on ASA Classification and Surgical Cancellations in Dogs and Cats: A Retrospective Observational Study · 2025 · DOI

  • Importance: Xylazine is increasingly reported in street drugs and fatal overdoses in the US, yet state-level data are limited, hampering local public health responses.

    Xylazine in Overdose Deaths and Forensic Drug Reports in US States, 2019-2022 · 2024 · DOI

  • The technical challenge of this study is the evaluation of the synergistic efficacy of magnesium sulphate and ketamine. The domain challenge is the lack of studies on the use of magnesium sulphate in veterinary medicine. Another challenge is the potential for bias in the study due to the small sample size.

    Effects of a synergic interaction between magnesium sulphate and ketamine on the perioperative nociception in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy: a pilot study · 2024 · DOI

  • The gap in current research is the lack of studies on the use of magnesium sulphate in veterinary medicine. This study addresses the gap by evaluating the perioperative analgesic efficacy of magnesium sulphate in combination with ketamine. Another gap is the lack of studies on the synergistic effect of magnesium sulphate and ketamine.

    Effects of a synergic interaction between magnesium sulphate and ketamine on the perioperative nociception in dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy: a pilot study · 2024 · DOI

  • Muhabbet kuşlarında anestezi uygulaması konusunda bilgi eksikliği. Anestezi uygulamasında dikkat edilmesi gereken hususlar ve olası komplikasyonların bilinmesi.

    Muhabbet Kuşlarında (Melopsittacus undulatus) İnhalasyon Anestezisi ve Perioperatif Yönetimi · 2026 · DOI

  • Investigating the effects of different injection rates on other anesthetics, - Examining the long-term effects of different injection rates, - Studying the relationship between injection rates and pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic responses…

    Effects of bolus injection rate on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of propofol, etomidate and sufentanil in rats · 2025 · DOI

  • Further studies are required to evaluate effectiveness, dose rates, timing, frequency, and appropriate routes of administration, - Research on the use of multimodal analgesia techniques in sheep is needed, - Investigation of the potential of ketamine as an adjunct to pain relief…

    An Exploration of Analgesia Options for Australian Sheep · 2024 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia

Most recent work

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Open questions raised by papers listed on this page include: (1) Further studies are needed to evaluate the long-term effects of the MDA method on animal welfare (“Carprofen and buprenorphine delivery using micropipette-guided drug…”, 2026); (2) The lack of understanding of the pharmacological interplay between xylazine and tolazoline is a challenge (“Tolazoline, an alpha-adrenergic antagonist, may also block xylazine at…”, 2026); (3) The lack of effective and safe pain management strategies for neurosurgical interventions in small companion animals (“Protocol of premedication with Vetcoxib® in neurosurgical interventions in…”, 2026); (4) There is a need to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the protocol in cats (“EFEITOS DA COMBINAÇÃO DE DEXMEDETOMIDINA E METADONA NA SEDAÇÃO DE GATOS COM E…”, 2026); (5) There is a lack of clinical data on the long-term use of THC-rich formulations in horses (“Case Report: Oral and topical chronic administration of THC-rich and CBD-rich…”, 2026). 75 gap statements have been mined from Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia papers in our 4.5M-paper local library, which holds 559 papers on the topic; the gaps come from whichever of those papers state one. They are mostly the research gaps the authors state and the papers' abstracts, plus future-work, limitations and challenges passages. The ones listed below are a selection still marked open; each names the study that raised it, with a DOI link where the paper has one, so you can read the original claim in context.

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