FDA Approves "Fat" drug for obese dogs - Page 2

I guess we could feed our dogs grapefruit every morning, isnt it suppose to burn fat??????

Having fat dogs is like having fat children. We are all at once self indulgent and self destructive, but when we refuse to limit the intake and set exercise schedules for those in our care we reach a new low point in our moral decline. Niether the dogs nor the children have the expertise or the authority to plan their own diet. A dog or child is only limited by how much they can cram in their gut. A dog is further compelled by instinct that developed over centuries of frugal living to devour whatever they can as fast as they can. People let their dog "tell" them when he is "full". They imagine that he looks hungry because he is sniffing around the food bin. What's worse: they believe that a dog should "have meat on his bones", so they suplement his feed with even more enticing fattening foods. By the time they notice that something is wrong the dog is 7 years old, spends days and nights napping and loafing, has health problems similar to his obese middle aged owner. He has aged beyond his years, and arthritis is setting in. He begins to occasionally wet the carpet since he has trouble dragging his flabby ass to the door in ample time to go out.......it goes on and on ... people PLEASE, Your dog HAS a personal trainer -------- YOU

http://www.nbc6.net/family/10681333/detail.html WASHINGTON -- Is your hound round? Too much flab on your Lab? Is your husky, well, husky? A new drug may provide some help. The government approved the first drug for obese canines on Friday. Called Slentrol, the Pfizer Inc. drug is aimed at helping fat Fidos shed extra pounds. "This is a welcome addition to animal therapies, because dog obesity appears to be increasing," said Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the Food and Drug Administration. A dog that weighs 20 percent more than its ideal weight is considered obese. That takes in about 5 percent of the nearly 62 million dogs in the United States. An additional 20 percent to 30 percent are considered overweight. The liquid drug appears to reduce the amount of fat a dog can absorb. It also seems to trigger a feeling of satiety or fullness, according to the FDA. The prescription drug also can produce some unfortunate side effects, including loose stools, diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy and loss of appetite. And it's not for dog owners. The FDA discourages the drug's use in humans and lists a litany of side effects should anyone ignore that advice. Nor is Slentrol, also called dirlotapide, for use in cats. In general, dogs need a far fattier diet than humans do to thrive. Fat is an essential source of calories for dogs and is necessary for growth, development, reproduction and healthy skin, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Like all diet drugs, Slentrol is meant to be part of an overall weight management program that includes a complete and balanced diet and exercise, according to its label. Slentrol is not a cure for obesity; its effects cease within a day or two of stopping treatment.

Better Living Through Chemicals?! Of course, a diet pill had to follow Prozac for dogs. Really reflects the human condition.