Fake pet medicines contain dangerous chemicals that can trigger vomiting, seizures and potential death.
The government is issuing an urgent warning to pet owners following the discovery of toxic chemicals in fake flea treatments. Around 18,000 illegal pet medications were seized last year alone, and some pets have even required emergency surgery after being poisoned by fake treatments.
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) are urging pet owners to take caution when purchasing common medicines, including flea treatments and wormers. The widespread warning comes after toxic pesticide traces were found in a fake flea treatment that caused a pet cat to become seriously ill.
Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Pirimiphos-methyl, a dangerous insecticide which is toxic to cats, in the incident which occurred in Preston. Officials are now urging pet owners to recognise signs of counterfeit products and to remain vigilant, especially when buying pet medicine online.
Counterfeit animal medicines deliberately copy the appearance, packaging and branding of genuine veterinary products to deceive pet owners, and they are illegal to sell in the UK.
These fakes typically lack proper active ingredients, making them ineffective at treating pets while putting them at risk of consuming harmful substances, causing severe reactions including vomiting, muscle tremors, breathing difficulties, seizures and potentially death.
The VMD and IPO are urging owners to check for warning signs including poor packaging, spelling errors, missing information, and unusual smells.
Last year alone, the VMD issued 122 seizure notices for the selling of unauthorised animal medicines and supplements, preventing around 18,000 illegal items from reaching consumers.
With this in mind, the IPO and VMD have shared some tips on how to spot counterfeit pet medicine online.
How to identify fake animal medicines online
Warning signs of fake medicines
The experts say to look out for:
- Poor quality or damaged packaging
- Spelling or grammar errors
- Missing leaflets or expiry dates
- Instructions not provided in English
- Suspicious smell, colour or texture
- Poor quality tablets, capsules, vials or pipettes – homemade appearance
The experts urge pet owners to be wary of any retailer selling prescription only products without asking for your prescription. This is illegal.
All online sellers of prescription only animal medicines must also be registered with the VMD.
If in any doubt, you can check retailers on the VMD’s Register of Online Retailers.
Shop safely online
Be cautious of:
- Heavily discounted goods and flash sales. Question the price if much cheaper than elsewhere. Whether buying online or in person, always think about the price
- A seller asking for sensitive information or requesting payment by bank transfer
- Fake websites and social media profiles. These can contain original brand names – confirm the website is authentic and check seller details and reviews before purchasing
- Any deal or offer that looks ‘too good to be true’
What you can do
If you have you been personally affected by a poisoning case, the experts recommend reporting it through the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) questionnaire.
If you see these goods being offered for sale, whether on a website, social media post or on the high street, contact your local Trading Standards or Crimestoppers online or by calling 0800 555 111.
