Preface

Welcome to Part B of the 12th edition of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, covering those drugs used in exotic pets. The clinical management of these species remains both rewarding and challenging. Veterinary practitioners are faced with a diverse range of taxa, each with distinct anatomical, physiological and metabolic characteristics. Although knowledge continues to grow rapidly, there remains a shortage of robust pharmacological studies and controlled clinical trials for many drugs used in exotic pet medicine. Consequently, a number of recommended dosages are extrapolated from data in other species or derived from anecdotal recommendations based on apparent clinical efficacy. A full list of references is available online, but for most drugs it is important to be aware that evidence is limited.

Since the last edition, various new drugs have become available and information on other drugs has increased with some modifications to recommended dosages or treatment protocols. Some drugs have been deleted if they are no longer available or their use is no longer recommended. The majority of drugs listed are still not authorized for use in these species, so need to be prescribed via the cascade with informed client consent.

I would like to thank all the Editorial Panel members for their hard work reviewing each monograph and ensuring that dosages and evidence are as up to date as possible. I would also like to thank the BSAVA Publishing team for all their editorial and administrative assistance as always, without which this Formulary would not have been possible. Please do provide comments and feedback on this latest edition of the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary to [email protected] so that it can be further improved in the future.

Joanna Hedley December 2025