Counterfeit flea treatments pose deadly risks to pets, UK agency warns

Pet owners are being warned about the dangers of counterfeit flea treatments purchased online, after toxic pesticide traces were found in fake products that have caused severe illness in animals, the UK’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) said.

The VMD, the government agency overseeing pet medication, said the fake products often lack proper active ingredients, making them ineffective, but in the worst cases contain harmful substances that can cause vomiting, muscle tremors, breathing difficulties, seizures and even death.

Last year, the VMD cited the case of a cat that required extensive surgery after its owner used what turned out to be fake Frontline flea treatment.

Charlotte Inness, a veterinarian who founded the online pharmacy VetMedi.co.uk, said a “grey market” for animal medicines exists where unregulated websites and social media accounts sell counterfeit medications to pet owners hoping to save money.

A three-month dose of flea medication typically costs about £20, but counterfeit versions are being sold for less than half that amount, Inness said.

“Best-case scenario? You’ve wasted your money. Worst case? You are dealing with avoidable suffering or the sudden loss of a beloved family member,” Inness said.

The VMD said there has been an increase in the number of people reporting fake treatments since it issued an alert last year, and it has contacted a number of eBay sellers and retailers as a result.

The advertisement or listing offers a well-known brand at a much lower price than usual. The “grey” websites selling these products often ask for payment via wire transfer, a common tactic by criminals to avoid chargebacks on credit and debit cards.

They often use stock photos of genuine products. It is only when customers receive the medication in the post that they can check whether it is fake.

When you receive the fake medication, close inspection reveals a lack of a VMD logo.

The packaging may have spelling mistakes and the logos may be blurred, with the details sometimes in a foreign language. In one case highlighted by the VMD, a counterfeit version of the Frontline flea treatment used the word “gatti” (Italian for “cats”) on the packaging.

The product may lack a batch number and expiry date, both of which legitimate products include. The fakes may also smell of white spirit and paraffin. Genuine flea treatments are odorless.

If you suspect that something you have bought is counterfeit, report it to your local trading standards.

You can also report suspicious veterinary medicines or retailers to the VMD enforcement team. You can check whether a medication is authorized via the VMD’s product information database.

A spokesperson for Boehringer Ingelheim, which produces the Frontline treatment, said it works with the VMD to have counterfeit listings removed. “We would advise customers to use our approved information on where to buy it,” the spokesperson added.

Inness says you should get your animal checked by a vet if it suffers hair loss or has a seizure following treatment with suspect medication.

Pet owners hope to save money when they see the usual brand of flea treatment for their cat listed at half the normal price and click “buy.”

It arrives and they apply it to their pet, but the animal falls ill and requires a rush to the vet for treatment.

It emerges that the medicine bought was a fake and contained dangerous chemicals that triggered vomiting and seizures. The owner is lucky the cat survived, but ends up with a large vet bill.

The VMD warns that counterfeit flea treatments pose a growing threat to animal health, urging consumers to purchase only from authorized sources.