50% of traditional weight-loss programs for pets fail, often because busy pet owners find it hard to stick to strict feeding schedules, or resist those pleading eyes at dinnertime.
The reason is quite similar to the weight-control problem many pet owners face. It’s tough to control diet or exercise on a regular basis, especially when the easiest methods tend to be the most appealing.
This is the core driver behind the GLP-1 boom among consumers looking for better control of their weight by suppressing appetite or reducing ‘food noise.’
Pet owners who have seen the benefits of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are now wondering if the same can be done for their pets. According to a recent UK survey, 40% of dog owners would consider a GLP-1 injection for their pets if recommended by a veterinarian.
With rising pet obesity rates and the pet industry’s growing “pharma plus nutrition” strategy, there’s a spark fueling interest in GLP-1 for pets, creating a new niche in the pet health market.
This presents an opportunity for pet food companies to start exploring GLP-1 solutions in their R&D. These could range from implants and oral tablets to functional food ingredients promising to “naturally boost GLP-1.”
Pharmaceutical GLP-1 Applications
Skin Implant for long-term pain-free supply of GLP-1 for cats
A study published in BMC Veterinary Research shows that a tiny implant inserted under a cat’s skin can help them reduce 5% weight and control diabetes in 3 months.
Okava Pharmaceuticals developed this exenatide (GLP-1 drug) implant, OKV-119, using the NanoPortal™ platform of its partner, Vivani Medical Inc.
This device releases exenatide for over 84 days and maintains blood medication levels between 1.5 and 4 ng/mL. Research reveals that these levels were sufficient to produce weight loss of at least 5% in 4 out of 5 cats.
The implant can be placed or removed in under 2 minutes with light anesthesia. It is easily visible under the X-rays for easy safety monitoring and removal by veterinarians.
Cats appeared to tolerate the implants well. As per research, no signs of licking or scratching at the implant site were observed. The skin was not inflamed.
Apart from anorexia, an eating disorder, for the initial 7 days in one cat, researchers observed no drug-related adverse effects in the other four cats.
In the past, Vivani conducted a trial of using an exenatide delivery system for 6 months on rats. It is planning to replicate the results with OKV-119 of Okava Pharmaceuticals and extend its duration from 6 months.
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These high-absorption GLP-1 Tablets can save your dog from injections
A GLP-1 medicine (MEDI7219) has been developed to be taken orally by dogs. These tablets have achieved roughly 6% bioavailability or absorption rate into the bloodstream. That may sound modest, but it represents a breakthrough for a class of drugs typically given by injection.
These tablets are enteric-coated (EC) to protect against stomach acid. This allows them to pass intact to the small intestine, where absorption occurs. The formulation pairs sodium chenodeoxycholate (a compound that improves intestinal absorption) with propyl gallate, an antioxidant that stabilizes the drug.
In studies of obese dogs, daily doses significantly reduced food intake, body weight, and post-meal blood sugar spikes. The approach could eventually be built directly into therapeutic pet food or treats, turning medication into a mealtime.
We analyzed these insights on emerging GLP-1 uses and research in the pet industry using SLATE. This research tool can help R&D teams find, organize, and simplify data with one simple query, like:
What are the emerging applications of GLP-1 in pet food?
A new GLP-1 blend shows more weight loss, but without the usual side effects like vomiting
GEP44 is a new GLP-1 combination drug that targets two separate appetite and metabolism pathways: GLP-1 and the NPY2 system, simultaneously.
The dual action shows promise for weight control while potentially avoiding a major drawback of current GLP-1 medications: nausea and vomiting.
In obese rats, GEP44 produced greater weight loss than exendin-4, an older GLP-1 drug, while nearly eliminating vomiting-related behaviors.
Functional GLP-1 Food for Pets
Fish Proteins that naturally boost gut hormones like GLP-1 and CCK in Dogs
A protein-rich powder or liquid (hydrolysate) derived from tilapia fish scraps or by-products increases the release of GLP-1 and Cholecystokinin (CCK) hormones. These hormones control the appetite and digestion in dogs. It also slows the action of DPP-IV, an enzyme that breaks down GLP-1.
These peptides were able to pass through a lab-grown model of the intestinal barrier (Caco-2 cells). This shows their potential to enter the bloodstream in dogs.
In a feeding test, when 1-2% of this hydrolysate was added to the Kibbles given to beagles, it caused no issues with taste or feeding. This highlights its potential to be used as a ready-to-market GLP-1 food for dogs.
Yeast Can Improve GLP-1 and Metabolic Health in Dogs
Adding a small amount of yeast (0.1% beta-glucan) to the diet of overweight dogs boosted their levels of fasting GLP-1. The dogs also became more responsive to insulin, showed less inflammation, and had better cholesterol readings after three months on the supplement.
The yeast works by influencing fatty acids (SCFAs) that gut bacteria produce when breaking down fiber.
GLP-1-related collaborations and partnerships in the pet industry
The industry’s major players are moving quickly to stake their claims in this emerging market.
Better Choice recently acquired Aimia Pet Healthco in a deal designed to create what executives call “pharma plus nutrition” bundles. It is pairing oral GLP-1 tablets with high-protein kibble.
Vivani Medical and Okava Pharmaceuticals have expanded their long-running partnership to develop the OKV-119 implant for dogs. They initially worked together on creating a similar therapy for cats. This collaboration pairs Vivani’s NanoPortal™ slow-release delivery platform with Okava’s veterinary metabolic-health focus, aiming for a six-month “One-and-Done” GLP-1 treatment for obesity, diabetes, and aging-related metabolic decline.
In parallel, new entrants are filling in other pieces of the GLP-1 landscape.
Akston Biosciences has initiated a once-weekly GLP-1 weight-management trial in cats at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine. This trial will assess the therapy over a three-month period on overweight cats. In preclinical studies, no adverse effects or unanticipated events were observed.
On the nutrition side, PetNutra has launched G-Loop, a daily supplement positioned as the first GLP-1–support product for dogs, using human-validated bioactives to target gut–metabolic signaling.
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Regulatory and Technical Hurdles
Federal regulators like the FDA-CVM and the USDA require companies to prove that peptide-based treatments are safe and effective before selling them as drugs.
On the other hand, pet food manufacturers can avoid that process by using softer language like “supports satiety” rather than making medical claims.
However, they need to ensure that the food has enough nutrients when it moves slowly from the stomach to the intestine, where absorption occurs.
On the research side, “whether boosting GLP-1 over the long term (beyond 12 months) is safe for cats and dogs” is still a mystery. Finding out how the compounds work differently across breeds is also important.
Pet food companies are also unsure how to make the bitter GLP-1 supplements, like tilapia hydrolysate, taste good so that they don’t change the taste of pet foods like kibble. These companies also need to find ways to market “supports satiety” claims without drug approval.
Future Outlook
GLP-1-based foods and medicines represent a significant opportunity for the pet industry to tackle obesity with science-backed food solutions and meet a long-standing consumer demand.
In the next few years, research will focus on understanding:
- Studying the relationship between a “canine frailty” (a measure of how weak or fragile a dog is) and GLP-1 levels to find early signs of obesity before it happens.
- Combining GLP-1 stimulants with postbiotics butyrate (compounds that help the gut stay healthy) to protect the gut during quick weight loss.
- Developing oral pet GLP-1 medicines or supplements with increased absorption or bioavailability.
Slate can help you keep an eye out for emerging innovations and research areas in GLP-1 pet food and medicines. Just ask:
