[Dailydrool] Spencer on Prozac

[Charlie Meyer]

My burn baby, Piglet OEBE had extensive burns from a house fire  
(Thanks, Droolers!) almost two years ago.  Her burn injuries healed  
except for a small (> 0.5%) raw sliver which she would lick.  Doc  
waved a small bottle of Clomicalm at me to try and correct the last  
bit of licking to let the last sliver of burn injury heal.  Normally,  
as a science-challenged person, I accept my Vet's word as holy writ,  
as it always worked before.  This time, recognizing it as doggie  
clomipramine (Anafranil), a tricyclic antidepressant of nearly a half- 
century's usage in two-leggers, this time written for Obsessive- 
Compulsive Disorders in pooches, I was able to turn to Doc and reply:  
"Doc, that's a tricyclic. Welcome to the wonderful world of  
psychotrophics!"  We both knew that the vet had the science of  
pharmacology, and I only had the frustrations and wallet-lightening of  
"seat of the pants" visceral "experience." Alas, our pals in BigPharm  
found a new use for an old drug...and bingo!, back under patent for  
more fat profits! BigPharm seems unable to comprehend that the  
Constitutional "limited time" restriction on the patent protection  
Gravy Train; not only for us two-leggers, now they're rooting in  
Fido's bowl. (Yes, YourzTruly is a liberal newspaper columnist in  
addition to managing a saloon aka: "Wildlife Management").  I did  
convince Doc to write a script for the generic two-legger version, not  
only to save money, but the idea of a TCA in a tasty faux beef flavor  
was troubling.  Tricyclics have a narrower dosage band between what  
dose is needed to effect relief and what becomes a potential fatal  
overdose.  Clomipramine didn't work for Piglet (I don't know if being  
OEBE mattered.)  The old-fashioned satellite dish collar and paying  
closer attention was ultimately used, albeit a pain in the backside.   
I am not critical of my Vet; I did tell my physician that she just had  
to be as good as my veterinarian.  She did look at my patient  
information to see that I was a native of New York: wiseguy.  I'm not  
of the sort to have a malpractice attorney on speed dial; just be  
smart and make your best attempt in treating man and beast. It's  
scientific knowledge and clinical experience I just don't have.

Prozac, having a profitable run under patent, is now approved for  
doggies ("KaChing!" from Eli Lilly's corporate cash register).  There  
is a caveat, for those who haven't had the care of a Psychiatrist:   
Unlike Rimadyl for Fido, or aspirin for us two-leggers, not every  
antidepressant works for every patient, man or beast. There is a  
process of playing with agents and dosages to find what works. Being a  
wiseguy, I figured there was a dart board approach to writing  
prescriptions of this type, an insinuation which the psychiatrists  
dislike as much as "I'd rather see my Veterinarian!" SSRIs, such as  
Prozac and SSNIs such as Effexor, much newer classes of antidepressant  
agents, came into use because they were safer than the tricyclics, and  
the side effects were better tolerated.

All said, I am glad Vikki found that Prozac has been working with  
Spencer.  The alternative isn't pretty. Generic two-legger fluoxetine  
might be lighter on your purse, but that's something for you and your  
Vet to decide.

Charlie Meyer
West Virginia Coordinator
Basset Rescue of Old Dominion, Inc. (BROOD)
Droolassic Park
Keyser, WV

Basset Hound Rescue: Work With Women. Pick Up Dogs.