The practice of giving medications designed for humans to animals has grown substantially over the past decade and a half. Drug companies have recently begun experimenting with a more direct strategy -- selling behavior-modification and “lifestyle” drugs specifically for pets.
For lonely dogs with separation anxiety, Eli Lilly brought to market Reconcile last year. The only difference between it and Prozac is that Reconcile is chewable and tastes like beef.
A third of the total spending on pets, and the fastest-growing category, is health care, including treatments formerly reserved for people like liposuction and mood pills. Sales of drugs for pets recently surpassed those for farm animals.