Fido get fat? Ozempic for dogs could hit the market in three years
America's obesity crisis extends beyond humans — studies suggest that around 60% of dogs and cats nationwide are overweight.
The consequences are far from fluffy. Those extra pounds can lead to serious health issues, sky-high vet bills and fewer years with your furry friend.
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5 Obesity is a major problem in pet health.
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Enter the Ozempets era.
Pharmaceutical companies are sniffing out new territory, tapping the same science behind blockbuster weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to develop similar treatments for pets.
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One biotech firm, Okava, expects to roll out its animal-friendly version by the end of the decade — hoping to give your portly pooch or hefty house cat a chance at a leaner, longer life.
A paw-scription for weight loss
Traditionally, vets have pushed lifestyle changes to slim down pets, but getting Fido to cut back on treats isn't always a walk in the park.
'Caloric restriction, or fasting, is one of the most well-established interventions for extending the lifespan and improving metabolic health in dogs. But it is also one of the hardest to maintain,' Okava CEO Michael Klotsman said in a statement earlier this year.
5 Studies show that owners often underestimate their pet's weight issues, and many find it challenging to help them slim down.
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To address the problem, Okava and Vivani Medical are partnering to develop OKV-119, a long-acting implant designed to support weight loss in dogs and cats.
Roughly the size of a standard tracking chip, the device delivers a steady dose of exenatide for up to six months.
Similar to semaglutide and tirzepatide — the active ingredients in human drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound — exenatide imitates a hormone called GLP-1, which helps decrease appetite, increase feelings of fullness and slow digestion.
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'OKV-119 mimics many of the physiological effects of fasting … without requiring significant changes in feeding routines or disrupting the human-animal bond that often centers around food,' Klotsman explained.
But don't worry — your pet won't go on hunger strike.
'What owners should expect to see is their pet eating appropriate portions without the previous food obsession,' Klotsman told The Guardian. 'They'll still eat regularly and show interest in meals, just without the excessive begging, scavenging or gulping behavior.'
5 Rather than the injectable format used in human GLP-1 drugs, Okava's pet-friendly product is an implant that lasts six months.
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Early studies in cats showed promising results, with small doses of exenatide helping felines reduce their calorie intake and shed at least 5% of their body weight over 112 days.
The trial is now being expanded to include dogs, and if successful, the companies aim to launch OKV-119 commercially by 2028 or 2029.
That could be a game changer for the nation's pets, which are increasingly tipping the scales.
In 2022, veterinarians classified 100 million dogs and cats as overweight or obese — up from 80 million just five years prior, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention.
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5 Many owners frequently give treats, which can contribute to excess calorie intake in pets.
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That's not just extra fluff. Studies show that overweight dogs live up to 2.5 years less than their slimmer peers and often have a lower quality of life.
Among cats, chubbier felines ages 8 to 12 face a 2.8 times higher mortality rate compared to their leaner counterparts, according to Manor Veterinary Hospital.
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'OKV-119 represents an additional tool for veterinarians treating pets where conventional approaches have been insufficient, similar to how GLP-1 therapies have provided new hope for human patients struggling with obesity despite their best efforts with diet and exercise,' Klotsman told The Guardian.
Fur-ever young
Americans love their pets. A recent poll found that 52% of dog owners consider their canine companion's health just as important as their own, while 41% say it's even more important.
As drugmakers like Okava race to help animals live longer, healthier lives, research suggests our pets are already doing the same for us.
5 Pet ownership has been linked to a wide variety of health benefits in humans.
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Studies have found that owning a pet can ease stress, anxiety and other negative emotions while providing companionship that reduces loneliness and feelings of social isolation.
There are physical perks, too. One study found that dog owners are 34% more likely to get the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week than those without.
Pet owners also tend to have lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, giving their heart health a major boost, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Taken together, experts say pets are a powerful longevity tool.
A 2019 study found dog owners have a 24% lower risk of early death compared to non-owners. For those with prior heart attacks or strokes, the benefit jumps to 31%, according to the American Heart Association.
Felines help as well. One study found that past or current cat owners were 37% less likely to die from a heart attack and 26% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than non-owners.
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Key Novo Nordisk data at the ESC congress 2025 include: Scientific Sessions: Unravelling cardiovascular inflammation in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD): from evidence to guidance – Saturday 30 August; 10:00 – 10:45 CEST GLP-1RAs in obesity-related HFpEF: a new era in treatment – Sunday 31 August; 10:00 –10:45 CEST A change of heart – why cardiologists can't ignore semaglutide – Sunday 31 August; 12:30 – 13:30 CEST Poster and oral presentations:Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide 1.0 mg) Effect of semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease: an analysis of the STRIDE trial stratified by disease severity and age – Friday 29 August; 08:35 – 08:45 CEST STRIDE Outcomes by Sex – Sunday 31 August; 09:15 – 09:30 CEST Rybelsus® (once-daily oral semaglutide) Effects of oral semaglutide on heart failure outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and/or chronic kidney disease participating in SOUL trial – Friday 29 August; 14:40 – 14:50 CEST Impact of oral semaglutide on cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and/or chronic kidney disease: a SOUL post hoc analysis – Saturday 30 August; 08:33 – 08:51 CEST Effect of oral semaglutide on CV outcomes across the vascular disease spectrum, from no vascular disease to polyvascular disease, in high-risk type 2 diabetes – Monday 1 September; 13:15 – 14:00 CEST Wegovy® (once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg) Semaglutide effects on incidence and reoccurrence of atrial fibrillation in the SELECT trial – Friday 29 August; 14:30 – 14:40 CEST Semaglutide is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events compared with tirzepatide in patients with overweight or obesity and ASCVD and without diabetes in routine clinical practice – Sunday 31 August; 09:00 – 09:15 CEST Potential real-world benefit of semaglutide 2.4 mg on cardiovascular outcomes in the UK based on the SELECT trial – Sunday 31 August; 17:40 – 17:50 CEST Relationship between baseline LDL cholesterol levels and cardiovascular outcomes in adults with cardiovascular disease and overweight or obesity: an exploratory analysis of the SELECT trial – Monday 1 September; 13:15 – 14:00 CEST Cardiovascular inflammation Associations between C-reactive protein levels and mortality in individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease: results from the UK Discover database – Friday 29 August; 08:51 – 09:09 CEST Residual inflammation, cholesterol risks and rates of major cardiovascular events in routinely cared patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease – Sunday 31 August; 08:45 – 08:55 CEST Direct healthcare costs for individuals with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease stages 3–4 or both: results from the UK Discover database – Monday 1 September; 14:15 – 15:00 CEST Awareness and perceptions on the role of systemic inflammation in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease: a national study among cardiologists and nephrologists in China – Monday 1 September; 14:15 – 15:00 CEST General obesity Cardiovascular outcomes in a SELECT-like obesity population: real-world insights from the Swedish AROS study – Saturday 30 August; 10:15 – 11:00 CEST If you have any questions about the data or want more information, reach out to globalmedia@ About semaglutideSemaglutide is a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) that mimics the effects of the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1. It has been tested in several robust clinical development programmes and outcomes studies in cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and other related cardiometabolic diseases1-8. Semaglutide is marketed under the brand names Wegovy® (once-weekly semaglutide 2.4 mg injection), Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide 1.0 mg injection), and Rybelsus® (once-daily oral semaglutide 14 mg)6-8. Novo Nordisk is a leading global healthcare company founded in 1923 and headquartered in Denmark. Our purpose is to drive change to defeat serious chronic diseases built upon our heritage in diabetes. We do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to our medicines, and working to prevent and ultimately cure disease. Novo Nordisk employs about 78,400 people in 80 countries and markets its products in around 170 countries. For more information, visit Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube. Contacts for further information Media: Ambre James-Brown +45 3079 9289abmo@ Liz Skrbkova (US)+1 609 917 0632lzsk@ Investors: Jacob Martin Wiborg Rode+45 3075 5956jrde@ Sina Meyer +45 3079 6656azey@ Max Ung+45 3077 6414 mxun@ Christoffer Sho Togo Tullin+45 3079 1471cftu@ Alex Bruce +45 34 44 26 13axeu@ Frederik Taylor Pitter +1 609 613 0568fptr@ _______________________References1. Marso SP, Bain SC, Consoli A, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2016;375:1834-1844.2. Perkovic V, Tuttle KR, Rossing P, et al. Effects of Semaglutide on Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2024;391:109-121.3. Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023;389:2221-2232.4. Pratley RE, Aroda VR, Lingvay I, et al. Semaglutide versus dulaglutide once weekly in patients with type 2 diabetes (SUSTAIN 7): a randomised, open-label, phase 3b trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2018;6:275-286.5. McGuire DK, Marx N, Mulvagh SL, et al. Oral Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in High-Risk Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2025;392:2001-2012.6. Ozempic® (once-weekly semaglutide): Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: Last accessed: August 2025.7. Wegovy® (semaglutide injection 2.4 mg): Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: Last accessed: August 2025.8. Rybelsus® (once-daily oral semaglutide): Summary of Product Characteristics. Available at: Last accessed: August 2025. Attachment PR250820-Curtain-Raiser-ESC-2025
