- VCPR
- Veterinarian-client-patient relationship — exists when a vet has examined an animal (or made a comparable clinically appropriate evaluation), knows it well enough to make a general diagnosis, and is available for follow-up. The legal foundation for prescribing and compounding decisions.
- AMDUCA
- The Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act — the federal law allowing licensed veterinarians to prescribe certain drugs for extralabel (off-label) use in animals, only within a valid VCPR and under specific conditions.
- Extralabel use
- Using an approved drug in a way not specified on its label (different species, dose, or condition) — legal only when a veterinarian directs it under AMDUCA within a valid VCPR.
- Veterinary compounding pharmacy
- A licensed pharmacy that prepares customized medication formulations for a specific animal patient, based on a veterinarian's prescription — the legitimate channel for most extralabel and specialty veterinary medications.
- Research use only (RUO)
- A regulatory label indicating a compound is intended for laboratory research, not for use in humans or animals, and has not been evaluated by the FDA for that purpose.
- Allometric scaling
- The principle that metabolic rate and drug clearance don't scale in a straight line with body weight across species — a key reason why doses can't simply be scaled down from a human to a much smaller animal.
- Glucuronidation
- A liver detoxification process many mammals use to safely clear certain compounds. Cats have a partial deficiency in this pathway, making them more sensitive to some substances that are safe for other species.
- MDR1 / ABCB1 mutation
- A genetic mutation common in certain herding dog breeds that affects a protein normally responsible for keeping certain compounds out of the brain, increasing sensitivity to some drugs.
- Canine cognitive dysfunction
- A recognized, diagnosable condition in aging dogs involving cognitive decline, sometimes compared in presentation to dementia in humans, with established veterinary management approaches.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
- A regenerative therapy using a concentrated preparation of a patient's own platelets, already used by some veterinarians for joint disease and post-surgical recovery.
- Extrapolation (research context)
- Applying findings from one species (often humans or lab rodents) to another (a pet) without direct evidence in the target species — a common and risky pattern in online peptide discussions.