OT: New Diet Drug Is Approved With Pudgy Dogs in Mind

Did I miss this one posted to MFW?

New Diet Drug Is Approved With Pudgy Dogs in Mind

A person's weight can be a touchy subject, and the same can be said for
their dog's weight.

"On the whole, (owners) don't want to hear that their dog is
overweight. The effects on their health because they weigh too much can
be debilitating, and yes, fatal," said Dr. Andy Cherry, owner of Cherry
Point Animal Hospital.

Several diet pills and other supplements have flooded the marketplace
over the past few years stressing instant weight loss in humans, but
dogs were left out - until last week.

Pfizer Inc. had its Slentrol liquid formula approved by the Food and
Drug Administration last week, a $1-a-day medication that claims to
help with canine obesity.

"This has just come on the market. So at this point, there is little we
know about it," Cherry said.

"I think if anyone markets something that a pet owner will envision as
a magic pill of some sort, they're going to take advantage and try it.
But when it comes down to it, the owners should be the ones lectured
about the weight of the animal. Client compliance with a dog's diet is
sometimes hard to enforce."

While U.S. health monitors continue to collect data on humans with
expanding waistlines, Pfizer points to an annual canine census
conducted by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Dog ownership ranges well over 60 million, according to the survey, and
of those dogs, 35 percent are estimated to be overweight, creating a
market for a product like Slentrol.

A veterinarian will give an initial recommended dosage for dog owners
to administer daily and will adjust the volume to eventually wean the
dog off of the medication once an ideal, healthy weight is achieved,
according to Pfizer.

The company describes the medication as a liquid designed to disrupt
the fat-producing process in dogs, and the medicine will begin to curb
the animal's appetite.

"Let's face it, people want a quick fix for whatever, and if that
includes getting their pet down in weight, they'll buy it, because this
(weight loss drug for dogs) is just a farce," said Nancy Ward, owner of
Classy Clawz and Pawz, a pet care facility that specializes in an
organic menu specifically aimed at keeping dogs healthy and trim.

"Just like in our society, we allow our dogs to overeat. If we think
they're being sweet, we'll give them a bowl of ice cream, or we'll make
sure that bowl of dog food runneth over. We have no concept of what our
dogs need nutritionally to maintain and not to gain.

"We see obesity here as a problem that is becoming rampant in dogs just
like it is in people. The cure is simple - change the diet, be aware of
the amount of food you're feeding it, and exercise. And that's not
letting Precious go out and run in the back yard. That means the
owner's on the end of a leash walking the dog."

Extra pounds on a dog can lead to medical problems including joint
pain, breathing problems, heart disease and arthritis.

"Some owners don't realize they are doing this to the dog. Some feel
like that dish or bowl always has to be filled with food, and that is
not good," Cherry said.

"If you want the dog to be healthy and around its ideal weight, you
have to be aware of how much you feed them a day or you risk the dog
encountering a lot of other problems. Some get so upset if their dog is
not eating.

"Something like (Slentrol) is going to be helpful in some instances,
but I think for a lot of dog owners, it is going to instill a false
sense of security. If a dog overeats, the problems will continue, no
matter what medicine you give them." /From:
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=3719386

--
Curt