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Editorial: Advances in drug development, residues management and emerging contaminants
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This roundup of veterinary research highlights real progress in animal medicine and safety, from new 3D-printed pet medications to better poison-treatment methods for pets, but one finding stands out for pet owners: a study testing 29 cat food products found BPA (a hormone-disrupting chemical) and microplastics in every single sample, plus toxic metals in nearly all of them. While contaminant levels were generally low, researchers warn that daily exposure to this mix of chemicals over a cat's lifetime could pose health risks, and they're calling for stricter safety testing of pet food, a reminder that the plastics and chemicals
Born as an offshoot of human pharmacology, veterinary pharmacology has now risen to the status of an independent discipline (1), and research has shifted from merely adapting human protocols to different species (2), mostly in order to achieve consumer safety in food-producing animals, to discovering new substances, new formulations, and even new approaches, tailored to the peculiarities of veterinary medicine (3). This Research Topic is heading in that direction, either presenting novel approaches to the preparation of veterinary formulations of well-known pharmaceutical compounds. It is the case of Taylor et al. ( 2026) who created 3D-printed gabapentin chewable tablets for small animals. Using a gelatin-based veterinary excipient (CuraVet®), they tested whether printing formulations could be reused after 14 days of refrigerated storage. They observed that the formulation containing the lower concentration maintained printability and dosing precision, while that with the higher concentration developed crystals and became unstable. This study demonstrates the potential of reusable 3D-printing formulations for rapid, on-demand veterinary medicines.Similarly, great attention has been dedicated to antitumoral chemotherapy, which has become one of the most dynamic areas of veterinary pharmacology. Recent studies aim to develop and validate specific strategies for cancer treatment in companion animals (4,5), paving the way for innovative approaches in veterinary oncology. On this basis, the safety of antineoplastic agents is becoming even more important. Yeh et al. (2026) reported vincristine overdose management in a Siamese cat with lymphoma that accidentally received four times the intended vincristine chemotherapy dose. Treatment included intravenous lipid emulsion, therapeutic plasma exchange, followed by attempted hemoperfusion and combined supportive care, suggesting a role of extracorporeal therapies in managing chemotherapeutic overdoses in veterinary patients.Similarly, veterinary toxicology is advancing towards new frontiers. The increasing reports of animal intoxications, accidental or criminal, require attention from clinical veterinarians together with the availability of new treatment strategies. Chaganti and Brainard (2026) evaluated the adsorption capacity of three activated charcoal formulations, charcoal powder, proprietary granular or suspension formulations, and a novel resin-bound activated charcoal product against several common veterinary toxicants, including naproxen, ivermectin, ethylene glycol (EG), and baker chocolate. All charcoal formulations reduced concentrations of the assayed toxicants under both acidic and neutral conditions, although their efficacy varied depending on the compound involved. Activated charcoal was less effective against compounds such as ethylene glycol and xylitol, while granular formulations and powdered activated charcoal often acted faster than the new resin-bound product.Diagnostic preparedness is another key point. Kim et al. (2026) reported a forensic veterinary case in South Korea involving a free-roaming cat that died from poisoning caused by EG. Necropsy and histopathological analysis revealed severe renal injury with calcium oxalate crystal deposition, which is characteristic of EG toxicity. Toxicological GC-MS analysis detected both EG and glycolic acid in gastric tissue, definitively confirming exposure. This case underscores the importance of forensic veterinary pathology and toxicology in suspected animal cruelty cases.Additionally, residue and food-contaminant toxicology is not only centered on the safety of animalderived food for consumers, but also on the toxicological quality of feeds for both companion and farmed animals (6,7). Ozturk et al. ( 2026) analyzed 29 chicken-based cat kibbles using different methodologies for contaminants including antibiotics, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic metals, bisphenol A (BPA), and microplastics. BPA and microplastics were detected in all samples, toxic metals were found in nearly all products, while antibiotic residues and PFAS were detected in some samples. Although contaminant concentrations were generally low, chronic exposure to contaminant mixtures may pose long-term health risks to cats. Consequently, the researchers emphasize the need for stricter monitoring and comprehensive safety assessments of pet food ingredients.All of these reflect the increasing attention paid to animal welfare, which has become a central point in the everyday practice of veterinarians, and a key topic in Veterinary Medicine schools, thus inspiring the new veterinary challenge for the near future: to achieve a sustainable, One Healthoriented, and evidence-based approach capable of embracing such societal expectations and providing trustworthy options to increasingly informed and demanding stakeholders.1. Lees P, Fink-Gremmels J, Toutain PL. Veterinary pharmacology: history, current status and future prospects. J Vet Pharmacol Ther ( 2013
More Papers Like This
Multiple contaminant detection in commercially available chicken-based cat kibbles in Italy
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Researchers tested 29 chicken-based cat kibble products in Italy and found nearly all contained a mix of contaminants — including toxic heavy metals like lead and arsenic (in 28 of 29 samples), microplastics and BPA (a chemical linked to hormone disruption, found in every single sample), plus traces of antibiotics and "forever chemicals" (PFAS) in some products. While this study focused on cat food specifically, it's a reminder that these same contaminants are widespread in the food supply chain, and repeated daily exposure to low levels of multiple pollutants — even at amounts considered individually "saf
Editorial: New methods and approaches in toxicology of emerging environmental contaminants
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This collection of studies rounds up new research on "forever chemicals" (PFAS), microplastics, and other everyday pollutants, showing they can disrupt hormones, immune function, and liver health—even at low doses and especially when mixed together rather than studied one at a time. One surprising finding: even lab equipment like plastic tubes can shed tiny plastic particles that contaminate experiments, raising questions about how we study these contaminants in the first place. The big takeaway is that real-world exposure to combinations of chemicals is harder to predict than scientists once thought, so better testing methods are needed to truly understand the health risks we
Occurrence and characterization of microplastics in dry pet food: Investigating geographical variations between European and South American markets
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Dry pet food in Spain and Ecuador contains tiny plastic particles (microplastics), with loose, unpackaged food in Ecuador showing the highest contamination—likely picked up during bulk storage and handling. Dogs eating these foods may be swallowing hundreds of plastic particles daily, some small enough to potentially pass into body tissues, along with a hormone-disrupting chemical called BBP. While this study focused on pets, it's a reminder that packaging and food handling practices matter for microplastic exposure in general, a growing concern for human health too.
The Environmental Pathways and Veterinary Health Implications of Microplastics and Nanoplastics: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Emerging Contaminants from a One Health Perspective
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This review examines how microplastics and nanoplastics enter animal-based food products including milk, poultry meat, and eggs, and what this means for both veterinary and human health from a One Health perspective. Researchers found that these particles have been documented in various livestock products, but significant gaps remain in understanding contamination from raw, unprocessed sources. The study emphasizes the need for standardized detection methods and farm-to-fork monitoring to identify real contamination sources and develop effective control strategies.
A plastic diet for pets: Exploratory evidence of microplastics in commercial dry pet food in Spain
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Researchers detected microplastics in all five commercial dry pet food brands tested in Spain, with dog food containing more than twice the particle count of cat food, and developed a risk index model suggesting dogs face greater systemic exposure risk while cats may be more prone to chronic intestinal inflammation from fiber-type particles — positioning pets as sentinels for household microplastic exposure.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.