Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The Pets we Love--and Drug
BY: Matthew Philips
Fluffy is getting old. Going on 13, she's geriatric for a Rottweiler. And like many people past retirement age, she takes a lot of pills—steroids for her bad hips and pinched nerve, a chewable tablet for her underactive thyroid, even Benadryl for her allergies. Her owner, Kelly Dowd, is happy to pay the $75 monthly. But to date, there has been no pill to treat Fluffy's most serious ailment—at 110 pounds, she's 25 pounds overweight, borderline obese.
Next month this will change when Slentrol, the first diet drug for dogs, hits the market. Developed by Pfizer and approved by the Food and Drug Administration late last year, Slentrol suppresses a dog's appetite and limits fat absorption. Although Dowd says she'll try to cut the amount of food Fluffy eats before resorting to drugs, at a cost of nearly $2 a day Pfizer believes the owners of at least 17 million dogs will be willing to try Slentrol. That could be a conservative bet: about one third of the 74 million dogs in the United States are overweight (5 percent are obese). And, increasingly, Americans are willing to open their wallets for Fluffy and friends, spending nearly $40 billion on their pets last year, double what they did in 1994.
Perhaps that's because pets have become more prominent members of the family. "We've shown an increasing willingness to spend money on our pets as they've become a bigger part of our lives," says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. This is partly because a decade ago, most pet owners were parents, but now more are owned by people with no children at all—empty nesters, gay couples and single adults. In many households, pets aren't just presents for children—they are surrogate children. "Two thirds of homes in the U.S. have a pet," says Vetere. "Twice as many [as those] with children."
Whether we worry that our pets are eating tainted, potentially lethal food—or that they're simply eating too much—we've made pet health a priority. In 2006, 77 percent of dogs were given medication, compared with 52 percent in 2004. According to APPMA, spending on pets' surgical procedures and dental care—including floss and teeth whiteners—has also risen. Pet products now make up more than half an animal-health market once dominated by products for livestock, fueling what in 2005 was a $5 billion industry. "The companion-animal sector has snowballed into this unstoppable force," says Richard Daub, who covers the industry for the trade publication Animal Pharm.
Not surprisingly, some of the world's largest drugmakers are pouring resources into their animal-health divisions in hopes of capitalizing on this emerging market. The FDA has approved more than two dozen new drugs for pets since 2002 alone. Along with Slentrol, Pfizer has a drug to treat motion sickness in dogs that's due out in August. Eli Lilly just launched a new companion-animal division, and plans to develop six drugs in the next four years, in part by reconstituting drugs developed for humans, targeting not physical but psychological ailments. Lilly's new flagship pet medication, Reconcile, approved by the FDA in January to treat separation anxiety in dogs, is the same compound as its antidepressant Prozac. "The cost of developing a new drug is so high, they're crazy not to reuse molecules developed for humans," says Nick Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Based on research done by Dodman, a British firm, Accura Pharma, recently bought a patent to develop the first antiaggression drug for dogs.
Some pet owners say medication has improved their pets' lives dramatically. Mark Musin of San Francisco gives his Jack Russell, Murphy, Prozac to keep him from fixating on reflections and shadows. "Without it, he obsesses over them," Musin says.
But others see pet drugs as a quick fix that fail to address the root of a bigger problem. Pets are often cooped up indoors and left alone for much of the day, under-exercised and overfed—is it any wonder they're aggressive, anxiety-ridden and fat? "We're absolutely projecting our neuroses and bad habits onto our pets," says Dr. J. P. O'Leary, a veterinarian outside Pittsburgh who says that of the 400 animals he sees a week, half are obese and many have behavioral issues. Rather than spending the time and energy working with their pets to correct them, though, "people would rather throw a pill at it," he says. O'Leary hesitates when asked if he plans to prescribe Slentrol to clients with overweight dogs. "Only as a last resort," he says. "The problem can be solved by regulating their food and getting more exercise." That's advice plenty of humans could use, too.
Fluffy is getting old. Going on 13, she's geriatric for a Rottweiler. And like many people past retirement age, she takes a lot of pills—steroids for her bad hips and pinched nerve, a chewable tablet for her underactive thyroid, even Benadryl for her allergies. Her owner, Kelly Dowd, is happy to pay the $75 monthly. But to date, there has been no pill to treat Fluffy's most serious ailment—at 110 pounds, she's 25 pounds overweight, borderline obese.
Next month this will change when Slentrol, the first diet drug for dogs, hits the market. Developed by Pfizer and approved by the Food and Drug Administration late last year, Slentrol suppresses a dog's appetite and limits fat absorption. Although Dowd says she'll try to cut the amount of food Fluffy eats before resorting to drugs, at a cost of nearly $2 a day Pfizer believes the owners of at least 17 million dogs will be willing to try Slentrol. That could be a conservative bet: about one third of the 74 million dogs in the United States are overweight (5 percent are obese). And, increasingly, Americans are willing to open their wallets for Fluffy and friends, spending nearly $40 billion on their pets last year, double what they did in 1994.
Perhaps that's because pets have become more prominent members of the family. "We've shown an increasing willingness to spend money on our pets as they've become a bigger part of our lives," says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. This is partly because a decade ago, most pet owners were parents, but now more are owned by people with no children at all—empty nesters, gay couples and single adults. In many households, pets aren't just presents for children—they are surrogate children. "Two thirds of homes in the U.S. have a pet," says Vetere. "Twice as many [as those] with children."
Whether we worry that our pets are eating tainted, potentially lethal food—or that they're simply eating too much—we've made pet health a priority. In 2006, 77 percent of dogs were given medication, compared with 52 percent in 2004. According to APPMA, spending on pets' surgical procedures and dental care—including floss and teeth whiteners—has also risen. Pet products now make up more than half an animal-health market once dominated by products for livestock, fueling what in 2005 was a $5 billion industry. "The companion-animal sector has snowballed into this unstoppable force," says Richard Daub, who covers the industry for the trade publication Animal Pharm.
Not surprisingly, some of the world's largest drugmakers are pouring resources into their animal-health divisions in hopes of capitalizing on this emerging market. The FDA has approved more than two dozen new drugs for pets since 2002 alone. Along with Slentrol, Pfizer has a drug to treat motion sickness in dogs that's due out in August. Eli Lilly just launched a new companion-animal division, and plans to develop six drugs in the next four years, in part by reconstituting drugs developed for humans, targeting not physical but psychological ailments. Lilly's new flagship pet medication, Reconcile, approved by the FDA in January to treat separation anxiety in dogs, is the same compound as its antidepressant Prozac. "The cost of developing a new drug is so high, they're crazy not to reuse molecules developed for humans," says Nick Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic at the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Based on research done by Dodman, a British firm, Accura Pharma, recently bought a patent to develop the first antiaggression drug for dogs.
Some pet owners say medication has improved their pets' lives dramatically. Mark Musin of San Francisco gives his Jack Russell, Murphy, Prozac to keep him from fixating on reflections and shadows. "Without it, he obsesses over them," Musin says.
But others see pet drugs as a quick fix that fail to address the root of a bigger problem. Pets are often cooped up indoors and left alone for much of the day, under-exercised and overfed—is it any wonder they're aggressive, anxiety-ridden and fat? "We're absolutely projecting our neuroses and bad habits onto our pets," says Dr. J. P. O'Leary, a veterinarian outside Pittsburgh who says that of the 400 animals he sees a week, half are obese and many have behavioral issues. Rather than spending the time and energy working with their pets to correct them, though, "people would rather throw a pill at it," he says. O'Leary hesitates when asked if he plans to prescribe Slentrol to clients with overweight dogs. "Only as a last resort," he says. "The problem can be solved by regulating their food and getting more exercise." That's advice plenty of humans could use, too.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Macbeth: Character List
Macbeth: Scottish general ambitious enough to commit regicide to become king
Lady Macbeth: His wife; ambitious; later remorseful
Banquo: General, murdered bu hired killers
Fleance: Banquo's son
Duncan: King of Scotland
Malcolm: Eldest son of Duncan, Prince of Cumberland
Donalbain: Youngest son og Duncan
Macduff: General, dedicated to the good of Scotland
Ross: Cousin to Macduff
Lennox: Nobleman, loyal to Duncan
Three Witches: Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict his downfall
Lady Macbeth: His wife; ambitious; later remorseful
Banquo: General, murdered bu hired killers
Fleance: Banquo's son
Duncan: King of Scotland
Malcolm: Eldest son of Duncan, Prince of Cumberland
Donalbain: Youngest son og Duncan
Macduff: General, dedicated to the good of Scotland
Ross: Cousin to Macduff
Lennox: Nobleman, loyal to Duncan
Three Witches: Predict Macbeth's ambitions will soon come true; later predict his downfall
Possible Themes in Macbeth
As you read Macbeth, some possible themes you may come across are:
a) blind ambition
b) power corrupts
c) supersition affects human behavior
d) things are not what they seem
Obviously, there are many more themes and motifs within the play, so please freely mark anything that you think pertains to a theme found in Macbeth.
a) blind ambition
b) power corrupts
c) supersition affects human behavior
d) things are not what they seem
Obviously, there are many more themes and motifs within the play, so please freely mark anything that you think pertains to a theme found in Macbeth.
Macbeth: Act III
For Macbeth Act III we will be working in groups and reading assigned sections of the text. While in your groups you are expected to complete the following:
1. Translate your scene into "modern" English.
2. Mark at least 2 literary devices per page. (This can include evidence of specific themes and motifs found throughout the play).
3. Create a detailed summary of the events that transpired in your assigned section.
4. Answer any Study Guide questions that may be contained in your scene.
In order to get full credit for this assignment, you must participate.
As a group, you will turn in your detailed summary and translation. You will present everything to the class, including your markings for each page and the answers to any study guide questions.
As you listen to other groups, it is your responsibility to make sure that you know and understand what is taking place in the other scenes. You are still required to know what happens in the complete Act. In addition, it behooves you to write down the markings that they other groups marked in their sections, as well as the answers to any study guide questions.
Lastly, please remember to participate. We are watching and we know who is working hard, and who is hardly working...please come see us if you have ANY questions.
1. Translate your scene into "modern" English.
2. Mark at least 2 literary devices per page. (This can include evidence of specific themes and motifs found throughout the play).
3. Create a detailed summary of the events that transpired in your assigned section.
4. Answer any Study Guide questions that may be contained in your scene.
In order to get full credit for this assignment, you must participate.
As a group, you will turn in your detailed summary and translation. You will present everything to the class, including your markings for each page and the answers to any study guide questions.
As you listen to other groups, it is your responsibility to make sure that you know and understand what is taking place in the other scenes. You are still required to know what happens in the complete Act. In addition, it behooves you to write down the markings that they other groups marked in their sections, as well as the answers to any study guide questions.
Lastly, please remember to participate. We are watching and we know who is working hard, and who is hardly working...please come see us if you have ANY questions.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Calendar of Assignments
Please remember to check this calendar frequently for any changes to the schedule.
September Calendar
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Anticipation Guide: Macbeth
Instructions: Discuss the statements below with a small group. Write "A" next to statements with which your group agrees. If you disagree with the statement, write "D". If your group can not come to a consensus, write "NC."
_____ 1. People who are striving to get ahead often step on other people.
_____ 2. You shouldn't put too much faith in fortune-tellers and other who claim to be able to predict the future.
_____ 3. Being powerful usually is the same thing being happy.
_____ 4. People who are involved in criminal activities can still feel love, fear, and concern for other people.
_____ 5. Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances.
_____ 6. If you commit a crime and don't get caught, it doesn't really matter because your guilt over what you have done will destroy you in the end.
_____ 7. In feudal times, power over a kingdom usually passed peacefully from father to son.
_____ 8. One mistake can often lead to another.
_____ 9. The forces of good and evil are always locked in a struggle and probably always will be.
_____ 10. Witches have always existed; they still do today.
Macbeth, the play you are preparing to read, is one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies. From what members of your group know about tragedy as a literary form, what are some things which you might expect to find in this play?
_____ 1. People who are striving to get ahead often step on other people.
_____ 2. You shouldn't put too much faith in fortune-tellers and other who claim to be able to predict the future.
_____ 3. Being powerful usually is the same thing being happy.
_____ 4. People who are involved in criminal activities can still feel love, fear, and concern for other people.
_____ 5. Everyone is capable of murder under the right circumstances.
_____ 6. If you commit a crime and don't get caught, it doesn't really matter because your guilt over what you have done will destroy you in the end.
_____ 7. In feudal times, power over a kingdom usually passed peacefully from father to son.
_____ 8. One mistake can often lead to another.
_____ 9. The forces of good and evil are always locked in a struggle and probably always will be.
_____ 10. Witches have always existed; they still do today.
Macbeth, the play you are preparing to read, is one of Shakespeare's famous tragedies. From what members of your group know about tragedy as a literary form, what are some things which you might expect to find in this play?
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