Officials warn pet owners about toxic chemicals found in fake medicines
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) said pet owners should take caution when purchasing common medicines to ensure they are not counterfeit.
It comes after a fake flea treatment caused Alan Wall's pet cat Smokey to fall seriously ill.
Mr Wall, from Preston, had bought what appeared to be genuine Frontline flea treatment online for Smokey.
The cat required emergency intestinal surgery followed by a week-long stay at the veterinary clinic, which led to significant bills.
Mr Wall said: 'Smokey is more than just a pet, he's a member of our family. PA Media Smokey fell seriously ill after being treated with counterfeit flea treatment (Alan Wall/PA).
'When he became ill after using what we believed was a genuine flea treatment, we were terrified.
'Watching him suffer, not knowing whether he would pull through, was heartbreaking. It's taken a huge emotional toll on all of us.'
Mr Wall later had the product tested in a laboratory by experts at the University of Bath, who confirmed the presence of Pirimiphos-methyl, a dangerous insecticide toxic to cats.
The VMD and IPO have now alerted pet owners to be vigilant to the signs of counterfeit products, which are illegal to sell in the UK. PA Media The counterfeit Frontline medicine (Intellectual Property Office/PA).
Those seeking bargains or a quick purchase online may unknowingly buy fake medicines or treatments.
The counterfeits deliberately copy the appearance, packaging and branding of genuine veterinary products but lack proper active ingredients.
This means they are ineffective or even harmful to pets, causing severe reactions including vomiting, muscle tremors, breathing difficulties, seizures and potentially death.
Officials say owners should 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.
Mr Wall said: 'Without the support of our vets and the extensive surgery they performed we know Smokey wouldn't be with us today.
'We want to warn other pet owners about these fake products so that no one else has to endure what we've been through.'
Sue Horseman from Bristol also purchased what appeared to be Frontline flea treatment online for her cat, but quickly became suspicious that the product was not genuine because it was difficult to open and smelt of white spirit and paraffin.
While the online platform has removed the seller, they had already managed to sell 211 batches of suspected counterfeit pet medicines and supplements, including fake Frontline Flea and Tick Treatment and Pro Plan FortiFlora Probiotic Sachets for dogs and cats.
New IPO research shows that counterfeit goods of all types are frequently purchased via global e-commerce websites.
The figures also suggest that in 2024, nearly one in five (17%) consumers unknowingly purchased goods later found to be fake, with 60% of purchasers also saying that 'ease of purchasing' influenced their decision and 72% saying price was an important factor in their decision.
Helen Barnham, the IPO's deputy director of enforcement, said: 'Counterfeiting is anything but a victimless crime and this latest discovery confirms this.
'If you suspect that any goods offered for sale may be counterfeit, you should always report this to your local Trading Standards or Crimestoppers Online.'
Caroline Allen, RSPCA chief veterinary officer, said: 'We are very concerned about counterfeit vet treatments on sale which can be highly toxic to pets and we would always urge pet owners to seek professional veterinary advice if they have any health concerns.
'We appreciate financial pressures can lead to some owners to look for cheaper treatments online but they could be unwittingly putting their beloved pets in serious danger by inadvertently buying these counterfeit goods and would urge them to take on board this Government advice.'
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