Friday, January 23, 2009

Where did depressed, unpredictable dog bite Jacques Chirac?

Another story about an animal (this time a dog) being treated for depression. This time the problem is unpredictable depression that caused the dog to bite Jacques Chirac, the ex-French president. As I said in the last post, the only licensed indication is for use in separation anxiety associated with behavioural training. It's not clear that the Chirac's dog has separation anxiety - he's living with them, not separated from them, as far as I know. Nor is there any mention of any other loss in the story. No-one seems to have asked why the dog bit Jacques. Nor does anyone seem very interested in where it bit him. The incident does seem serious though as the story describes it as a mauling and the ex-President was rushed to hospital. Should the depression be allowed to excuse the dog's behaviour?

Dogs are being given pills without the evidence. The story doesn't say what antidepressant Chirac's dog has been given. Presumably it's Clomicalm. This blog is prepared to start a campaign for animals being treated with antidepressants. Maybe it will be listened to more than one about humans.

Maybe as a first step someone needs to ask Novartis, the manufacturers of Clomicalm, how much they are making out of the drug. Help please. Join the campaign.





(With thanks again to Cornishcynders. Where do the stories come from?)

5 comments:

  1. Well I bite people with and without depression!

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  2. That's a pretty rough scenario to be in. My father-in-law is a Los Angeles dog bite attorney and dogs, depressed or not, can be surprisingly aggressive at times.

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  3. I've had severe depression and it never dawned on me to bite someone, this worlds mentality is ridiculous with millions of people dying of mal nutrition unhealthy drinking water and curable diseases, love your own species first then I will believe you love other species

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  4. I love your blog so much, and there are just some differences with others'. Hope there will be more wonderful things in your blog. Happy every day!

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