Penetration of Pharmacological Agents through Equine Skin

There are an increasing number of medications being produced for topical application. Topical application, or applying drugs directly to the skin, is convenient compared to alternative routes of delivery, including oral, injectable or inhalation, particularly in animals. This in turn means that a topical medication is more likely to be given (increased compliance), directly increasing the likelihood of any medication being successful. Topical medication is also useful for delivering high concentrations of drug to a specific site, such as a wound, skin irritation, or underlying joint pain, while reducing the total amount of drug to the rest of the body. This significantly reduces the incidence of adverse drug effects and toxicity.