Is Your Pet a 'Chunky Monkey?'

Obesity is one of the most common medical problems for pets as well as people. There is now a diet pill undergoing development by the Neurogen Company to aid in weight loss for pets.

If you have ever struggled to shed those extra pounds, you know how difficult it can be. It would seem so easy to put your pet on a diet. They can't open the refrigerator or grab a handful of cookies from the cupboard. But the answer to the dilemma of chubby pets is usually the problem, the pet owner. Giving food is often our response for feeling guilty for not being home or not paying enough attention to them. Though a small morsel from your dinner plate may not seem like a lot, if you were a 10 pound pooch, it can add up to excess calories and weight gain before you know it.

The new medication, which has not been named, will be a pill that blocks the activity of a chemical in the brain, a neurotransmitter that is associated with the sensation of hunger. The use of the medication in current studies has lead to considerable weight loss.

Is a diet pill the best answer for fat felines? No. As with people, close attention to our diets and exercise plus a slow and consistent drop in pounds is more likely to lead to permanent weight loss. A large fluctuation in weight for our pets or us is not healthy. Not all hefty pets are the result of overindulgence by owners or lack of exercise by pets. Hormonal problems can occasionally be responsible.

Pfizer Animal Health will market the diet pill. It is still in its research phase. It is unknown whether there will be side effects or when it will be available. How can you help your pet to lose weight in the mean time? Watch the treats, monitor its daily food intake, increase its exercise and see your veterinarian to be sure there is no underlying medical condition contributing to the weight gain. Watching your pets' waistline is important because it is "Your Pet…Health Matters."