[Chongo]

Suicidal pets get anti-depressants | NEWS.com.au staff writers

February 25, 2008 02:19pm

PETS at risk of self-harm are increasingly being prescribed anti-depressants because they cannot discuss problems in their lives with others, a leading veterinarian says.

Zoo and wildlife medicine specialist with the UK’s Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Romain Pizzi, told the Telegraph that more pets were being prescribed Prozac.

Tropical birds such as parrots seemed to have been the most affected by depression, Mr Pizzi told the newspaper.

Cool, parrots on Prozac. No wonder there's a shortage.

But Mr Pizzi said anti-depressants were only used in the most extreme of cases.

[Big Mac]

They're depressed over global warming.

[starman]

Would they be puppy uppers or doggie downers?

[Big Mac]

Cue next headline: "Elderly pets get Viagra"

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Ya gee I wonder why birds and parotts get upset. It is much nicer sitting in a tiny cage with your wings clipped over flying wherever you want in the forests.

[turtle777]

We live in a f***ed up world...

-t

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Well that's it, hell is solid ice.

greg

[LegendaryPinkOx]

Originally Posted by ShortcutToMoncton 

Well that's it, hell is solid ice.

greg

Naw, thats only the ninth ring I hear.

[iMOTOR]

Has it occurred to anyone that these pets are depressed because they're in captivity and have no freedom?



EDIT: I just read Anny's post. Nevermind.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by iMOTOR 

Has it occurred to anyone that these pets are depressed because they're in captivity and have no freedom?

Seriously, you did not have to spoil this thread like this

-t

[Kerrigan]

The majority of bird owners are depressed psychos anyways, so that needs to be taken into account.

[Oisín]

Am I the only one thinking Rags here?

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

They're depressed because they live in the UK.

Fixinatedness.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

Fixinatedness.

Can't be, there's an easy fix: put beer or whisk(e)y in the water

-t

[olePigeon]

What a strange coincidence, I named my bird Mr. Pizzi.

[Dave N]

Why not give them to the animals? Apparently they're not doing us much good...

FT.com / Companies / Drugs & healthcare - Study casts doubt on anti-depressants

Study casts doubt on anti-depressants
By Salamander Davoudi
Published: February 25 2008 19:25 | Last updated: February 25 2008 19:25

Prescribing anti-depressants to the vast majority of patients is futile, as the drugs have little or no impact at all, according to researchers.

Almost 50 clinical trials were reviewed by psychologists from the University of Hull who found that new-generation anti-depressants worked no better than a placebo – a dummy pill – for mildly depressed patients.

Even the trials that suggested some clinical benefit for the most severely depressed patients did not produce convincing evidence. Professor Irving Kirsch from the university’s pyschology department said: “The difference in improvement between patients taking placebos and patients taking anti-depressants is not very great.

“This means that depressed people can improve without chemical treatments. Given these results, there seems little reason to prescribe anti-depressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients.”

The researchers focused on four widely prescribed anti-depressants and the clinical trials that were submitted to win licensing approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.

The drugs included fluoxetine (Prozac), venlafaxine (Efexor), and Paroxetine (Seroxat).

All belong to a family of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs have become popular over the past 15 years as doctors consider them to be safer than tricyclic drugs that carried a high risk of overdose. In 2006, 31m prescriptions for anti-depressants were issued in England, up 27 per cent since 2001.

Alison Cobb, policy officer at mental health charity Mind, said: “This study represents a serious challenge to the predominance of pharmacological treatments for depression. Anti-depressants have been shown to help many people, but by no means all.”

“Too many GPs are being forced to dish out drugs because they don’t have proper access to psychological therapies services which are recommended by Nice.”

Mind is urging GPs to consider alternative therapies such as exercise – particularly outdoor exercise – which it believes has shown to be very effective in combating depression.

However, Dr Gary Bell, consultant psychiatrist at Capio Nightingale Hospitals, the provider of private psychiatry treatment, contested the conclusions of the Hull research. “Anti-depressants are one of the great breakthroughs in the treatment of depression in last 20 to 30 years,” he said.

“They do not always suit everybody but the results are often life-saving. People who do studies do not have the hands-on experience of using these medicines.”

According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, at least one person in five will suffer from a depressive illness at some point.

[lpkmckenna]

Almost 50 clinical trials were reviewed by psychologists from the University of Hull who found that new-generation anti-depressants worked no better than a placebo – a dummy pill – for mildly depressed patients.

True. But the key phrase here is mildly depressed. For moderate to life-threatening depression, these drugs are essential.

But if you are only mildly depressed, it doesn't hurt to give anti-depressants a try. Frankly, it's cheaper than therapy, and getting a therapist will likely mean months on a waiting list.

[Jawbone54]

Do they prescribe Ritalin? If any dog could be diagnosed as ADHD, mine could.

[LegendaryPinkOx]

Originally Posted by Dave N 

By Salamander Davoudi

So was this study done on humans as well as amphibians?

Sorry, I couldn't resist

[Cipher13]

So if I were to get a pet owl, and claim it had DSPS (delayed sleep phase syndrome), could I have it prescribed cannabis and diazepam? If so... sweeet.

[Jawbone54]

I'm getting an owl.

[BRussell]

Originally Posted by lpkmckenna 

True. But the key phrase here is mildly depressed. For moderate to life-threatening depression, these drugs are essential.

But if you are only mildly depressed, it doesn't hurt to give anti-depressants a try. Frankly, it's cheaper than therapy, and getting a therapist will likely mean months on a waiting list.

I wouldn't say "it doesn't hurt." There are negative side effects to these drugs. And "it can't hurt" usually isn't the standard for medical use. Magic Pyramid Therapy probably doesn't hurt either.

If this study is what it seems, two things need to happen: 1) there needs to be a regulation that data from all clinical trials, not just ones that "work," are made public, and 2) a very hard look needs to be taken at the very widespread use of these drugs.

[JoshuaZ]

My parents told me that they had to put their cat on drugs, because it got overly stressed and worried when ever they went on trips.

The same cat that is so mellow the rest of the time that you'd think it was dead.

[Chongo]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Do they prescribe Ritalin? If any dog could be diagnosed as ADHD, mine could.

Mine as well. He has no off switch

[64stang06]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Am I the only one thinking Rags here?

I thought the same thing

[Jawbone54]

Originally Posted by Chongo 

Mine as well. He has no off switch

Yorkie? My wife and I had to decide between a yorkie and a westie. If we hadn't gone the white fuzzball route, I definitely would've gotten one like yours. Maybe we'll get Apple a playmate.

He looks hilarious, by the way. You need YouTube videos.

[Chongo]

Originally Posted by Jawbone54 

Yorkie? My wife and I had to decide between a yorkie and a westie. If we hadn't gone the white fuzzball route, I definitely would've gotten one like yours. Maybe we'll get Apple a playmate.

He looks hilarious, by the way. You need YouTube videos.

YouTube - Chongo VS the "Tumbler"
YouTube - When Dogs Attack Toys
His buddy
YouTube - Chula's walk (Baby Elephant Walk)