Oral drug delivery systems for companion animals: an integrative review of medicated treats, chewable tablets, and other pharmaceutical formulations.

Abstract

Administering oral medications to companion animals remains a major challenge in veterinary medicine, frequently leading to poor adherence and reduced therapeutic effectiveness. Medicated treats have emerged as a promising strategy to facilitate drug administration by combining active pharmaceutical ingredients with highly palatable food-based matrices. This integrative review critically synthesized the available scientific literature on oral drug delivery systems for dogs and cats, with emphasis on medicated treats, chewable formulations, therapeutic efficacy, safety, stability, and regulatory challenges. A structured search was conducted in PubMed, SciSpace, Consensus, and Google Scholar, using PRISMA-based procedures. After screening and eligibility assessment, 20 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, including one additional eligible study incorporated after peer-review recommendation and assessed according to the same predefined criteria. The reviewed studies indicate that medicated treats and chewable oral formulations may improve treatment adherence, reduce administration-related stress, and maintain acceptable pharmacological performance when appropriate formulation parameters are met. Evidence also suggests that formulation-related factors, such as matrix composition and concomitant administration conditions, may influence bioavailability and product performance. Nevertheless, relevant challenges remain regarding dose uniformity, physicochemical stability, microbiological safety, and regulatory classification. Overall, medicated treats represent a promising alternative drug delivery strategy in veterinary therapeutics, particularly for chronic treatments in companion animals. Further studies are needed to optimize formulation parameters, evaluate long-term safety, and establish clearer regulatory frameworks for these hybrid pharmaceutical-nutritional products.