Why pooches pop more pills

Here's a good article on the growing use of pharmaceuticals in pets. I'd love to see a follow up article which discusses why pharmaceutical companies and wholesalers won't sell these veterinary drugs to pharmacists. The pharmaceutical industry and veterinarians have, in my opinion, created a completely unfair system which forces pet owners to buy their pet's prescription from their veterinarian only. As a result, the veterinarian can essentially charge what they want. But what concerns me even more is the lack of choice. There is also a definite perception of conflict of interest.

In the U.K., they had a similar system in place until some pharmacists brought the case to court. Ultimately, the veterinarians and drug companies were found to be breaking rules regarding limiting competition. British pet owners now have the option of getting their dog or cat's prescription filled at their regular pharmacy or at their veterinarian's office.

From the Toronto Star:
A dog named Sky became so blue when left alone that he was inconsolable. The 20-month-old Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever would start howling as soon as Kingsley Butler left the condo they shared.

Because no one else in his life had stuck around, "every time I went out and closed the door, Sky thought: `I'll never see him again,'" Butler says.

Separation anxiety.

There's a pill for that these days. Just one of the many fixes from pharmaceutical giants as the competition heats up in the growing market to treat pets behaving badly. ...more