Taking Fido on Your Trip? There's a Drug for That.

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Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) is going to the dogs. Really.

The company put out a press release yesterday encouraging dog owners to take their pets with them when they travel for the holidays. It even launched a Twitter feed to share tips on traveling with your pooch.

Think there's an ulterior motive here? Pfizer hasn't started selling those "dog on board" caution signs, but it does sell Cerenia, a motion sickness drug for dogs. That's 7.2 million potential customers ... if Pfizer can convince their owners to take the drug with them.

But what if Pfizer is really trying to boost the economy? I mean, if the ad campaign works, imagine all the ancillary benefits. Airlines like US Airways (NYSE: LCC) and AMR's (NYSE: AMR) American Airlines would rake in the dough with their surcharges for pets. Wonder if Pfizer has a drug to keep dogs from going stir-crazy inside their carriers while their owners are munching on peanuts?

For those driving, more stops at rest areas to let the dog do its business should help with vending-machine sales. And some people likely would stay at hotels like Marriott's (NYSE: MAR) Residence Inn or Starwood Hotels & Resorts' (NYSE: HOT) Sheraton, leading to increased earnings from pet surcharges -- as long as the dog doesn't eat the profit by shredding the pillows in the middle of the night.

PetSmart (Nasdaq: PETM), Petco, Tractor Supply (Nasdaq: TSCO), and the like also would benefit from the purchase of extra snacks for the trip. And don't forget the dog gate for Grandma's house; we wouldn't want Buster snatching the turkey off the table.

Ironically, one of the reasons Pfizer gives for taking your dog with you is that having unconditional love from a pet can help with the added stress this year because of "tough economic times." With all the added costs, maybe it would be less stressful to just leave the dog at home.

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