CAT AND dog owners are turning to “pet Prozac” to help their animals deal with growing levels of stress, vets have warned.
With a growing number of pets being left alone all day while their owners are out working, vets have reported that more and more animals are suffering from “separation anxiety”. They fear it has become common for some owners to give their animals tranquilising and anti-depressant drugs to treat symptoms such as bad behaviour and aggression.
The trend has prompted a warning that such use of drugs is masking the real problem and makes a mockery of Britain’s claim to be a nation of animal lovers. Andrew Knight, professor of animal welfare and ethics at the University of Winchester, said: “The number of behavioural problems in dogs and cats, and even other pets, seen by veterinarians is huge.
“We’re constantly seeing animals that are aggressive, unduly fearful or barely under control when they visit.”
Dr Knight, a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, said most of the problems were due to “poor socialisation and training” when the animals are young, compounded by a lack of understanding of their needs as adults.
He added: “Instead of attempting to calm or even sedate stressed pets with pharmaceuticals, it’s about time we gave them the care and attention they deserve.” While there is no licensed version of Prozac, or fluoxetine, for cats and dogs in the UK, vets can use human medicines to treat animals under certain circumstances.
There are also licensed products for animals which work similarly to human antidepressants such as Clomipramine and Selegiline, while another such product, Reconcile, is made by Eli Lilly, the company Prozac.
A study by Claire Corridan, of the Companion Animal Behaviour Therapy Study Group, which is affiliated to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), estimated that up to 80 per cent of UK dogs suffer from disorders such as phobias or anxieties, hyperactivity or obsessive-compulsive behav-
which
developed iour. Other conditions being treated by vets include sleeping problems, anorexia, stress and depression.
A report by the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) found that more than a quarter of dog owners leave their pets alone for five hours or more on weekdays and that 250,000 dogs are never walked, leading to serious behavioural problems.