‘Puppy Prozac’ use skyrockets as canine homeowners scramble to medicate anxious lockdown pets
The levels of medication being given to dogs has risen 20-fold over the last decade – now, one in 500 dogs are on the anti-anxiety drug and experts are warning it might not be the best thing to do
Depressed dogs are being shoved on Prozac like there’s no tomorrow, it has been revealed. The 20-fold surge of medicated canines has been reported by vets over the last decade and is thought to have been mainly caused by lockdown and its impact on man’s best friend.
There was a huge increase in puppies being bought during this time and they weren’t able to socialise due to lockdown measures. They have grown up to have behavioural issues and owners are now putting pills in their Pedigree Chum.
The medication of choice is the anti-anxiety drug called Fluoxetine, which is named Prozac when given to humans and Reconcile when given to dogs.
Reconcile is given to dogs to help them with anxious behaviour, often when they are suffering from separation anxiety when their owners leave them. It works by restoring the balance of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of mood, anxiety, sleep and energy.
In 2013, only one in 10,000 dogs were on the drug but now the number is 20 times higher at one in 500.
Dr Dan O’Neill, an associate professor at the Royal Veterinary College, said that in most cases, “there is probably nothing wrong with the dog”.
He said: “What is wrong is the owner’s expectation. The owners are looking for a perfect animal that plays with them when they want it to, and never barks.
“Over time, since lockdown, people seem to be moving to treating their dogs like children, there is more pressure on the dogs to behave like ‘minihumans’. Owners call them fur-babies. It is less acceptable that dogs will behave like dogs, that they run and bark and play and chew. The expectation is that dogs’ behaviour will be perfect.”
The chewable tablets don’t come without side effects. Dogs that are given the drug can suffer from decreased appetite, sleepiness and vomiting.
Dr Julian Hoad, president of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, spoke about the problems with giving dogs Reconcile. He said: “Firstly, we don’t know whether dogs have the same sort of mental health issues as people.
“The main use for Prozac in humans is as an antidepressant. We don’t really know if dogs get depressed. We can’t psychoanalyse dogs and get them on the couch and say, ‘What drove you to bite the postman today?’
“People project human emotions onto dogs. There is a need for us to have those emotions mirrored back. But it would be inappropriate to say dogs are depressed.”
One dog-minder who knows a thing or two when it comes to the animal’s behaviour, says that “drugging pets should be an absolute last resort”.
She said: “I’ve looked after dogs with all kinds of behavioural issues. Some were terrified to walk down the stairs, some didn’t want to go for walks and some were aggressive.
“I was able to sort them out within a matter of weeks and by the time their owners collected them, they were new animals.
“With the right training and good care, every dog can be happy — without having to go on drugs.”
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