Vets have rejected claims by a British animal welfare charity that giving dogs drugs to treat behavioural problems will create a population of “pill-popping pets”.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals expressed alarm at the news that an antidepressant called Reconcile – containing the same serotonin-reuptake inhibitor used in the human drug Prozac – has been licensed for use in dogs by the US Food and Drug Administration.
“Pet owners have a duty of care towards their animals,” says charity scientist Penny Hawkins. “Pharmaceuticals should not be used to help sustain an unsustainable lifestyle by addressing problems that should be dealt with by other…
