A Diet Drug For Fido
U.S. adults have been getting steadily fatter over the last few decades. We’ve even managed to let our kids join the obesity trend.
But when I heard that Pfizer, Inc., introduced an injectable diet drug for dogs last month, I saw red.
About 5% of American dogs are obese, which is defined as 20% or more over their ideal weight. Another 20% to 30% of dogs are simply overweight.
So now if you own an obese or overweight dog, your vet can inject the poor pooch with Slentrol, the diet drug from Pfizer.
Side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and lethargy.
They should also include a psychiatric exam for any owner who would do that to their dog. This is by far the most stupid, irresponsible piece of diet news I’ve ever heard.
These dogs aren’t feeding themselves.
As a society, how lazy have we become when we start giving diet drugs to our dogs instead of taking responsibility for their weight gain and their health?
Here’s my 2-step program for overcoming a doggie obesity problem:
- Quit giving your dog so much food.
- Get off your duff and walk the poor mutt.
I’d really like to say more, but I’m not sure I want it in writing.
By the way, this drug is not for humans. Any human who takes this doggie diet drug can look forward to the possibility of abdominal pain or distention, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, and/or headache.
End of rant.
Technorati Tags: diet drug, diet drug for dogs, obese dogs, dog, dogs
June 20th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
That’s a rotten thing to do to a dog. Good post.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
This almost seems to fall under the cruelty to animals category. I don’t see why any dog would need a diet pill unless he or she had a medical condition that the vet thought made it necessary.
June 20th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting.
June 20th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
If we’re too lazy to walk ourselves, it doesn’t surprise me that we’re too lazy to walk our dogs. But to give a dog a diet pill seems awfully extreme to me.
June 20th, 2007 at 2:45 pm
Hey, if you don’t have time to walk your dog, do what the big companies do - outsource! Hire a dog walker and the problem’s solved. Now if we could hire someone to walk us and make us skinny… hmmm… gotta go, got a great new idea for a business.
June 20th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
This sounds like drug companies taking advantage of a situation to make money again. How sad to do that to a poor defenseless dog.
June 20th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
What bonehead would give a dog a drug that makes them vomit and have diarrhea? %$#@^$&*&*&^ I think my rant would have been a lot stronger than yours.
June 20th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
I’m with Christina on this one. Your rant should be a lot stronger. This is a form of abuse, at least I think so. How could anyone do something like that to their dog? Any pet that’s treated that badly should be taken away from the owner and placed in a different home.
June 21st, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I’m speechless!
Drug companies do everything they can to earn money no matter how unethical it is.
I’m so glad I quit jobbing for them.