Continuing along the lines of yesterday’s post on dog obesity. If you have tried our top ten tips to manage your dog’s weight (link to prev post), there is an FDA-approved drug that may help your dog get to a more healthy weight.
Sorry, but this is not approved for you! Pfizer Animal Health is now manufacturing a drug they call Slentrol. Citing statistics from the American Veterinary Medical Association that as many as 40% of American dogs are overweight, Pfizer says that Slentrol will decrease your dog’s appetite, which should make him eat less.
I’m not sure if dogs engage in emotional eating, as we humans do, but if this drug truly reduces appetite, it should be helpful. According to Claudia A. Kirk, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine and Nutrition, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee. “In today’s hectic world, it’s a challenge for many dog owners to find time to ensure their pets get adequate exercise. And in our culture, we often equate food with love – without being aware of potential adverse health consequences. For both pet owners and veterinarians trying to manage a dog’s weight, these habits can be a source of genuine frustration.”
Slentrol is available only with a prescription from your vet, and should not be used for humans or other animals, nor in dogs receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy or dogs with liver disease. The most common side-effects are vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or anorexia.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
What a nightmare! Thanks for sharing.
I tried to find a more appropriate place to put this but couldn’t so here goes. I’d like to make all dog owners aware of what a farce “Doggie Court” is in Toronto. In late summer, I was walking my dog, on leash, and was just about to enter the Kay Gardiner Beltline when I observed several uniformed men and a huddle of unhappy looking dog owners. I immediately turned around and exited the Beltline. Imagine my surprise when after walking 2 blocks, I turned around and saw a bylaw enforcement officer following me on foot. I ignored him and kept walking. This numbskull caught up to me in front of my home and proceeded to pull out a camera and take my picture and then lean down and grab my dog’s collar and take a picture of his tags. He then asked me where my dog’s license was and I informed him that my dog has 2 collars and I can’t be bothered switching his tags back and forth because it is actually difficult to do so. He then demanded that I take him upstairs to my apartment to show him the second collar. Frankly, this guy’s aggressive attitude annoyed me and I refused whereupon he presented me with a ticket for $240.00.
I had no intentions of paying this ticket as my dog had a license but I still has to attend “Doggie Court” in downtown Toronto several months later. What a farce!
On arrival, I approached the city prosecutor and siad I wanted the ticket dismissed and proceeded to show him my dog’s license tag and a receipt from Animal Control proving that he had his license prior to the “offense”. The prosecutor advised me that it didn’t matter and that my best plan of action was to plead guilty and ask for a reduced penalty fee. He then stated, it was not enough to have a license for your dog but that it had to physically be on your dog at all times. The Judge entered the courtroom and looked at her court list and asked the prosecutor if she really had to deal with 19 trials that day and had he done everything possible to get those attending to plead guilty. At that point my name was called first and because I had to get to work and faced the prospect of losing an entire day’s pay, I plead guilty and the fine was reduced to $50.00 but the Judge asked me if I wished to say anything to the court and I told the Judge that in all my years of dog ownership, I had never been made aware that my dog had to wear his license at all times and that if the city wished to enact and enforce certtain bylaws then it was the city’s obligation to make citizens aware of what those bylaws are. When I receive my dog license tag in the mail, there is never a pamphlet enclosed advising dog owners what the law is.
Bottom line, I still have to pay a $50.00 fine for my dog who was licensed at the time of the “offense”