Naughty pet drug causes spontaneous orgasms
A mind-bending drug for naughty pets, about to go on sale, can cause spontaneous orgasms in some people.
The prescription drug Clomicalm has been approved for use on cats and dogs in the United States and Europe.
It is used to treat a clinical condition known as separation anxiety, which causes home-alone pets to chew furniture and urinate on the floor.
However, the drug, known by the clinical name of clomipramine, has been documented to cause spontaneous orgasms in both men and women.
Four mental patients mentioned in a 1983 paper in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry said that they could induce orgasms by yawning after taking the drug.
Clomipramine has been used since the 1960s to treat depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans; it is an approved drug for prescription to humans in Hong Kong.
But SAR veterinarians are already warning against abuse as Novartis, the Swiss pharmaceutical giant which makes the pet drug, expects approval from the Health Department next month.
'All animal drugs have to be labelled clearly and can only be used on animals,' said Dr Andrew Baker of the Mid-Levels Veterinary Centre. 'It would be exceedingly irresponsible to use it on humans.' Several studies have found the drug can also inhibit the ability to reach orgasm but Novartis said Clomicalm would only be sold by prescription for animals.
'We have of course heard reports about the side-effects, mainly from overseas, but in Hong Kong, there have never been such cases reported,' a senior company manager said.
The Health Department said officials had requested more safety data before making a decision on animal use.
