VETERINARY SPINOFF: Drugmaker Pfizer is readying a regulatory filing for the first step in spinning off its animal health business, a possible IPO of a minority stake in a new company, Zoetis.

PET PRODUCTS: The business had about 4.2 billion in sales last year, from its Revolution for protecting dogs and cats from fleas and heartworms, plus other medicines, vaccines and him diagnostic tests for pets and livestock.