(JP)Supplements for pets selling despite doubts

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Supplements for pets selling despite doubts

 

By SAIJI SHIZUME

 

Sales of supplements for dogs, cats and other pets are

on the rise, but veterinarians are starting to take a

closer look at some of the products.

 

Japan Apricot Co., a supplement producer in Takasaki,

Gunma Prefecture, began selling Mistol, a product made

from plum extract, a specialty of the prefecture, to

veterinarians late last year.

 

The supplement was originally designed for humans, but

the company decided to make a version for pets after

finding some indirect benefits.

 

" We produced it for pets . . . because after one of

our employees gave it to his dog, which had a tumor in

the mouth, the dog's condition improved, " Japan

Apricot Executive Director Taro Adachi said.

 

In a test-tube experiment conducted by the company,

Dokkyo University School of Medicine, and Shimane

University, the supplement appeared to be effective in

reducing the number of cancer cells.

 

Takashio Oyamada, a veterinarian in Maebashi, Gunma

Prefecture, who uses Mistol on animals, said he's

witnessed the supplement's positive effects.

 

" I feel there's a certain effect to cancers in the

mouth and digestive organs, " he said.

 

But it is unknown how effective Mistol really is.

 

" It's difficult to show its effectiveness in data

because cancer drugs and other supplements are used

together at the same time, " Oyamada said.

 

Masato Kuwabara, an adviser to the company and an

assistant professor of veterinary radiology at Nihon

University, said the benefits may outweigh the doubts.

 

" The scientific evidence isn't sufficient, but there

may be an energizing effect, and if a pet's condition

improves, that's significant, " Kuwabara said.

 

Japan Apricot is now studying Mistol's presumed impact

on cancers and tumors by testing it on dogs and cats

in cooperation with veterinarians.

 

When treating animals, vets sometimes " prescribe "

supplements to help them deal with the side effects of

drugs. But they also hope the supplements create other

positive effects.

 

According to Toshinori Sako, an assistant professor of

veterinary internal medicine at Nippon Veterinary and

Animal Science University, drug makers are reluctant

to develop drugs for animals, which requires

permission from the government, largely because it's

such an expensive endeavor. Supplements don't require

such expensive testing.

 

" Supplements can be made and sold freely at less cost.

Even if makers are aiming at having drug effectiveness

in what they have produced, they sell it as a

supplement in many cases, " Sako said.

 

But some supplements contain ingredients that might be

inappropriate or provide no data to back up health

claims. So animal drug makers and veterinarians,

including Sako, created the Animal Supplement Research

Society last year to verify the effectiveness of

supplements and present a standard of choice.

 

The Japan Times: Feb. 18, 2006

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