Diet pills approved...for your dog
Posted on Jan 6th 2007 10:03AM by Jonathon Morgan
As you probably know, obesity is considered a national epidemic in the US -- it's the second leading cause of preventable death, with about 127 million adults considered overweight and 9 million considered grossly obese (that's two-thirds of the country). But did you know our dogs are getting fatter, too?
In response, Pfizer has created a doggy diet drug called Slentrol that has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Twenty to thirty percent of dogs are overweight or obese, and the problem seems to be on the rise, according to Stephen Sundlof, head of FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. Like humans, dogs can develop diabetes, heart trouble, and joint problems if they're not maintaining a healthy weight.
You could, incidentally, also walk the dog from time to time -- as, just like with humans, exercise is far healthier than dieting or pills when it comes to losing weight. It might even help you shave a few pounds.
