Ease of oral administration and owner-perceived acceptability of triglyceride oil, dissolving thin film strip, and gelatin capsule formulations to healthy cats.
OBJECTIVE
To compare owner-assessed ease of administration and overall acceptability of 3 chemically inactive formulations administered PO to cats.


METHODS
90 healthy client-owned cats.


METHODS
Cats were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 formulations PO once daily for 14 days: medium chain triglyceride (MCT) oil, dissolving thin film strips (proprietary ingredients), or gelatin capsules filled with microcrystalline cellulose. Owners administered the formulations and rated ease of administration daily on a 10-cm visual analogue scale (VAS). At the end of the study, owners rated overall acceptability of formulations from their own perspective and their overall perception of acceptability to their cat.


RESULTS
Mean VAS scores for daily ease of administration of MCT oil and film strips were significantly higher than scores for gelatin capsules at all time points, except on days 2, 4, and 7. There was no difference between MCT oil and film strip formulation scores. Mean VAS scores were 8.8 (MCT oil), 8.9 (film strips), and 7.4 (gelatin capsules) for overall acceptability to owners and 8.0 (MCT oil), 8.3 (film strips), and 6.7 (gelatin capsules) for overall owner-perceived acceptability to cats.


CONCLUSIONS
Daily ease of administration on 11 of 14 days and overall owner-perceived acceptability to cats were scored significantly higher for film strips and MCT oil, compared with scores for gelatin capsules. Overall acceptability to owners followed a similar pattern; however, the differences were not significant. Dissolving thin film strip or MCT oil vehicles may allow for easier PO administration of medication to cats than does administration of gelatin capsules.
Veterinary Clinical Investigation Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. anne.traas@boehringeringelheim.com
Anne M
AM
Traas
Timothy
T
Fleck
Andrea
A
Ellings
Sean
S
Mahabir
Kathy
K
Stuebner
Dorothy C
DC
Brown
Dana
D
Durso
Michael
M
DiGregorio
Lora
L
Bode
Kelly I
KI
Kievit
Robert
R
McCall
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002415:Cats; D004304:Dosage Forms; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005780:Gelatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009821:Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010349:Patient Compliance; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage
D002214:Capsules; D004304:Dosage Forms; D009821:Oils; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D014280:Triglycerides; D005780:Gelatin