Top Veterinary Drugs for Dogs
How Animal Research Helps Our Pets Live Healthier Lives
"Many medications your veterinarian prescribes for dogs including metronidazole, famotidine, tramadol, prednisone and doxycycline were developed through research involving animals. Some were created for human patients and later adapted for veterinary use; others, such as the emetic Clevor, were researched specifically for dogs. In both cases, that research is what established the safe dose your vet relies on."
Animal Research Saves Animals, Too
Animal research has played an important role in the development of medicines that help people live longer, healthier lives. But the benefits of biomedical research don't stop with humans. Dogs and other companion animals also benefit from medications and treatments made possible by decades of research involving animal models. Animal research helps pets. Many medications prescribed by veterinarians today were originally developed for human patients and were later adapted or repurposed to treat diseases and conditions in dogs.
In other cases, research involving dogs and other animal models helped scientists understand how medications work, identify potential risks and determine appropriate doses. See the Top 25 human prescription drugs developed through animal research. The result is a growing range of treatments that can help dogs manage pain, fight infections, control allergies, reduce inflammation, treat gastrointestinal problems and respond to medical emergencies.
From Biomedical Research to Better Lives for Dogs
For millions of families, veterinary medicine is an essential part of caring for a beloved pet companion. Advances in biomedical research have given veterinarians more tools to prevent and treat illness and to develop the best medicines for dogs. Dogs live longer and enjoy a better quality of life thanks to animal research. Some of the best drugs for dogs have a direct connection to animal research achievements that contributed to their original development.
Other drugs for dogs illustrate another important benefit of biomedical research: drug repurposing. A medication developed for people may later prove useful in veterinary medicine, giving veterinarians an established treatment option for an animal condition. Veterinary drugs for dogs developed through animal research have helped veterinarians treat a wide range of conditions and improve the health and quality of life of companion animals.
For example, metronidazole, famotidine, diphenhydramine, tramadol, prednisone, ketoconazole and doxycycline are among the medications used in veterinary medicine for dogs and other animals that were originally developed for human use. They each have a connection to research involving dogs and other animal models.
Other treatments, such as medications for dogs and other pets used to induce vomiting after poisoning, have been repurposed specifically for veterinary use. These examples demonstrate an important point: animal research can help advance medicine for animals as well as humans. See real stories of pets who have benefitted from animal research.
Which dog medicines came from animal research? See the commonly prescribed medications for dogs just below.
The table below highlights commonly prescribed or used medications for dogs and the conditions they can help treat. It also identifies the animal models involved in research associated with these medications.
| Drug | Purpose | Animal Models |
|---|---|---|
| Ayradia (Metronidazole) | Giardia infection | Dogs, hamsters, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Famotidine | Parvovirus, irritable bowel syndrome, megaesophagous, and acid reflux | Dogs, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Diphenhydramine | Allergies | Dogs, hamsters, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Doxepin | Anxiety and chronic allergies | Dogs, mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Tramadol | Pain | Dogs, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Prednisone | Anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant | Dogs, hamsters, mice, rats, rabbits, humans |
| Ketoconazole | Fungal infections | Dogs, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, monkeys, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Clevor (ropinirole ophthalmic solution) | Emetic to counteract poisoning | Dogs, monkeys, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Apomorphine | Emetic to counteract poisoning | Dogs, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
| Doxycycline | Bacterial infections | Dogs, chickens, goats, mice, monkeys, minipigs, rats, humans |
| Sucralfate | Intestinal distress | Dogs, mice, rabbits, rats, humans |
Most Prescribed Veterinary Drugs for Dogs
Most Prescribed
Top Medications for Dogs
The most prescribed medications for dogs were developed with dogs. That is because the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine requires veterinary drugs to be tested with the primary species for which the medication is intended.
See references below for sources supporting the data in this table.
Research That Benefits Both People and Their Pets
The relationship between human and veterinary medicine is not one-way. Scientific discoveries can move between the two fields, with advances in one area helping to inform treatments in another. Animal research helps provide the best medicine for dogs. Dogs share many biological similarities with humans and can experience many of the same diseases and health challenges. Research involving animal models has helped scientists better understand disease, evaluate potential treatments and establish the safety information needed before medicines can reach patients.
The best medicine for dogs involves discoveries made with animal research. And when those discoveries lead to new treatments for animals, the impact can be deeply personal. A medication that began as a scientific discovery may mean less pain for a dog, a successful treatment for an infection or more healthy years with a family. Animal research doesn't just help save human lives. It helps animals live healthier, happier lives, too.
Important Note
The medications listed on this page are examples of veterinary drugs with documented connections to animal research and are not intended to constitute veterinary medical advice. Pet owners should always consult a licensed veterinarian before giving any medication to a dog.
References
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/veterinary-pharmacists-bridging-human-and-animal-health (April 2026)
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/top-10-medications-prescribed-for-dogs (November 2017)
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Research with Dogs
Nearly every medicine, medical device, surgical procedure or therapy we have today depended on animal testing and research. In order to understand how a molecule or compound affects the body’s systems and to establish safe dosage, researchers must conduct animal testing along with new approach methodologies. Animal testing is necessary to observe molecules or compounds in a living body.
Nearly every medicine, medical device, surgical procedure or therapy we have today depended on animal testing and research. In order to understand how a molecule or compound affects the body’s systems and to establish safe dosage, researchers must conduct animal testing along with new approach methodologies. Animal testing is necessary to observe molecules or compounds in a living body.
Dogs share physiological similarities with humans. They also experience many diseases like humans such as cardiac arrythmia, cancers and diseases of aging. They help scientists understand these diseases and develop better, more effective treatments for them.
Dogs represent less than 1% of animals in research. However more than half of the top prescribed drugs and the top prescribed medical devices were developed with dogs as well as other animals and new approach methodologies.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set forth federal regulations governing the care and use of laboratory animals in biomedical research that are more extensive that those covering human subjects. The Animal Welfare Act sets high standards of care for lab animals with regard to their housing, feeding, cleanliness, ventilation and medical needs. It also requires the use of anesthesia or analgesic drugs for potentially painful procedures and during post-operative care. Research institutions are required by law to establish an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee to oversee all work with animals and with the authority to reject any research proposal and stop any project it believes has failed to meet proper standards.
Dogs can sometimes be replaced by other animals or new approach methodologies (NAMs) in research, but replacement depends on the specific scientific or medical question being asked. Dogs share many similarities with humans when it comes to cancer, heart rhythm disorders and diseases of aging. Replacing dogs with other animals or NAMs in these areas of research could slow or stall existing disease research.
Support the Science Behind Every Breakthrough
Since 1981, FBR has championed ethical animal testing and animal research to drive innovation in medicine. Your support helps us continue educating the public and empowering the research community to improve lives across species.
