by Playfuls Staff |
5th January 2007
Dogs can't tell you they want to lose weight. But if you think yours is too fat, relief is on the way.
Responding to rising obesity among the popular pets, the US [more] government approved the first prescription weight-loss drug for dogs - complete with a warning for humans not to use it.
Slentrol, by New York-based Pfizer Inc, cuts appetite and fat absorption to produce weight loss, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Friday in announcing the product's approval for sale.
About 5 per cent of US dogs are obese and another 20-30 per cent are overweight, the FDA cited surveys as saying. Like heavy humans, overweight pets are at higher risk of developing health problems such as heart conditions, diabetes and joint wear.
"This is a welcome addition to animal therapies, because dog obesity appears to be increasing," Stephen Sundlof, the head of the agency's animal medicine centre said in a statement.
However, dogs treated with the drug may suffer from vomiting, loose stools, diarrhea and lethargy, the FDA said.
Veterinarians generally define a dog that weighs 20 per cent more than its ideal weight as obese, the agency said.
© 2007 DPA
