Is Your Pup Overweight?
Here’s something I have never heard of before: a doggy diet pill. Yup, you read that correctly. The FDA has recently approved Slentrol, a prescription pill available to help control the weight of man’s best friend. The drug works by suppressing the appetite of the canine while blocking fat.
According this Washington Post article, experts and animal authorities charge the factors of too much food and too little exercise as the reason for Spot’s weight gain, parallel to most human situations.
But here is the striking difference: you, as the dog’s owner, have much more control over his eating habits and daily exercise than you would over another human being. We have 100% control over how much they eat, what they eat, and how much exercise they get. Now I understand that some dogs are susceptible to being overweight (just as some humans are), but I would dare say that number is rather small.
Instead of spending money on costly prescription pills, buy a frisbee and a leash; take your pup for a run or play fetch with that. Try conventional methods to get your dog in shape first, before resorting to other medicinal resources. You should also feed them only once a day, limit treats, and look for food that has essential nutrients and less fat.
May 15th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Good article. I agree 100%. As owners we have the responsibility to manage the health of our darling dogs.
regards.
Sharda