Pfizer Medication for Obese Dogs Wins U.S. Approval (Update4)
By Justin Blum
Jan. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. approved the first prescription weight-loss drug for the growing number of dogs whose owners feed them too many scraps and treats.
The Food and Drug Administration today cleared Pfizer Inc. to market a drug called Slentrol for use in the estimated 5 percent of U.S. dogs that are obese. Veterinarians also could use it for the additional 20 percent to 30 percent that are overweight.
The medication, which Pfizer estimates will cost pet owners about $1 to $2 a day, could be used for the increasing population of dogs with weight problems due to overfeeding and lack of exercise, said George C. Fahey Jr., a professor of animal sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign who specializes in pet nutrition. As with humans, obesity can lead to diabetes along with heart and joint problems.
``It would be helpful,'' Fahey said of Slentrol in a telephone interview today. ``It would be more helpful if people could feed their dogs less. That would be turning off the spigot instead of mopping the floor. Not everybody's going to do that.''
Dogs that are 20 percent more than their ideal weight are considered obese. The FDA approved the medication for those dogs, Pfizer said, though veterinarians are free to give it to dogs classified as overweight. It will be dispensed only by veterinarians and is expected to be available in the spring, Pfizer said.
61.5 Million Dogs
There are about 61.5 million pet dogs in the U.S., according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, based in Schaumburg, Illinois.
The FDA warned Slentrol can cause dogs to vomit and experience loose stools, diarrhea, lethargy and loss of appetite.
The medication will include a warning saying the drug isn't to be used by humans, and Pfizer said it shouldn't be used for cats.
Pfizer originally studied the drug for use in humans to lower cholesterol, said Bob Fauteux, a spokesman for New York- based Pfizer. The company discovered it could be used in dogs and gave up on human uses.
The drug makes it easier for owners -- many of whom are overweight themselves -- to reduce the amount of food their pets consume, said Debra Zoran, who ran a clinical trial for Pfizer and is a professor of animal medicine at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Begging and Stealing Food
``You start to take away the calories from the animal and they beg and they steal food and they take food from the trash,'' Zoran said in an interview. With the drug, she said, owners were able to feed their dogs less ``without having a fight.''
When dogs become overweight, it can hurt them to walk and exercise, resulting in more weight gain, she said. Overweight dogs also can develop arthritis and hip dysplasia.
The drug reduces appetite and fat absorption to produce weight loss, according to the FDA. It blocks the assembly and release of lipoproteins into the bloodstream.
Dog owners can give the liquid medicine directly or by adding it to food. It is to be given in varying amounts, with an initial dose for 14 days. A veterinarian will determine the dog's progress on a monthly basis and adjust the dose depending on weight loss, the FDA said.
After a dog reaches the desired weight, Pfizer suggests continued use for three months while the best level of food and exercise are determined, the FDA said.
Shares of New York-based Pfizer fell 8 cents to $26.30 at 4 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Blum in Washington at
jblum4@bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: January 5, 2007 16:04 EST
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