Prozac for Dogs – One of the Dumbest Business Ideas Ever. It’s Official.
Submitted by Ryan O'Meara on December 19, 2007 – 5:56 am4 Comments
US business publication Fortune magazine has declared the decision by Eli Lilly (pharmacuetical company) to create and market chewy, beef flavoured prozac tablets for dogs as a means to treat seperation anxiety as the second ‘dumbest of the dumb’ business decisions of 2007.
The magazine, a bible for wealthy and successful business people throughout the world, ranked the proac for pets move only one place behind Sony’s decision to use a cathedral as a backdrop for a violent video game in the list of stupidest business ideas.
As stupid and misguided business ideas go, this one is certainly worthy of a mention.
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Prozac for dogs – so why is that idea dumb ? Is it the prozac they
think is a dumb market idea or the making of the prozac in a chewy
beef flavor pill ? Which part is a dumb market idea ? or both ?
I don’t have dogs. I have cats. And I have one cat that does have
to be medicated with a similar med and I would love it if they made
his med into a treat. It would make my life so much easier !
I also know dog owners who have dogs with serious separation anxiety
and I am sure they would also love having their meds or any pet meds
for that matter made into a chewy treat. How much easier life would be
for those pet owners if the meds were made into treats. So not only do
I think it is not a dumb market idea, I think that person hit a great idea.
The only way that person could top that idea, would be to make
something like that for cats since they are even harder to medicate
than dogs.
Reply
Its a silly idea because its actually covering the problem and not treating it. With seperation anxiety one of the main things that a dogs needs to do is go to a place where he feels safe, that may be under the bed or behind your chair. The problem with drugging your dog is that he may be so “doped up” that he is prevented from being able move to do this (people may also give too much dosage) and if a dog is then prevented from escape (which is the flight or flight desire natural to them in times of a crisis) then this can cause them even more distress as they do not actually understand what is happening to them. This is another case of people without actual knowledge of dogs psychology or behaviour looking for the “quick fix” solution rather than working on a desensitising programme to retrain the dog to cope in these situation, then the med would not even be required. Of course that takes more time and people really cant be bothered with the effort. Any drug should be considered with your vet and if easy to administer people would opt for that more readily than actually working to resolve the problem making even more dogs lives a misery in 95% of the cases
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I have to agree with Carmen – it is a silly idea because it only treats the symptoms not the problem. How would you like to me on meds for the rest of your life because your parents couldn’t be bothered to introduce you properly to the world and equip you for the things that will happen in your life? This is exactly what is happening to the majority of dogs who suffer from separation issues, depression etc. Treat the cause not the sympton – I wouldn’t touch it.
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At first glance,I won’t condemn ‘Prozac for pooches’ but don’t forget that dogs can’t sue for defective products,and this a concern.
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