Urgent warning to pet owners as toxic chemicals found in fake flea treatments
Source: gov.uk (2025-06-25)

Pet owners urged to be wary of dangerous fake treatments discovered on e-commerce sites.

Main developments are:

urgent government warning issued after toxic insecticide discovered in counterfeit flea treatments - one cat required emergency surgery after severe poisoning

fake pet medicines lack essential ingredients while containing dangerous chemicals that trigger vomiting, seizures and potential death

warning signs include poor packaging, spelling mistakes, unusual smells and suspiciously low prices

new figures show three quarters of consumers wrongly believe fake goods are of similar quality to genuine products

pet owners should only buy from trusted sources and immediately report suspicious products

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) and Veterinary Medicine Directorate (VMD) are urging pet owners to take caution when purchasing common medicines, including common flea treatments and wormers. The alert comes after toxic pesticide traces were found in a fake flea treatment that caused a pet cat to become seriously ill, prompting the owner to have the product tested. Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of Pirimiphos-methyl, a dangerous insecticide toxic to cats. Officials are urging pet owners to recognise signs of counterfeit products, avoid using suspicious items, and know how to report concerns.

Counterfeit animal medicines deliberately copy the appearance, packaging and branding of genuine veterinary products to deceive pet owners. Like all counterfeits, they are illegal to sell in the UK.

These fakes typically lack proper active ingredients, making them ineffective. Worse still, they may also contain harmful substances, causing severe reactions including vomiting, muscle tremors, breathing difficulties, seizures and potentially death.

Pet owners seeking bargains, or a quick purchase online may unknowingly purchase these dangerous counterfeits. 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.

After purchasing what appeared to be genuine FRONTLINE ® flea treatment online for his cat, Smokey, Alan Wall from Preston was devastated when Smokey became very unwell. The condition was so severe that Smokey required emergency intestinal surgery to survive. This was followed by a week-long stay at the veterinary surgery and significant bills to support his recovery.

Alan Wall said:

Smokey is more than just a pet, he’s a member of our family. 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. 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.

Images of Smokey the cat - receiving treatment, and when healthier

A Veterinary Medicines Directorate Veterinary Surgeon and Efficacy Assessor, Dr Heilin-Anne Leonard-Pugh, explains:

Pirimiphos-methyl is toxic to cats. Exposure to this insecticide can prevent the cat’s body from breaking down a substance called acetylcholine, leading to an overstimulation of the cat’s nervous system. This can cause symptoms such as vomiting, uncoordinated gait, muscle tremors, weakness, paralysis, increased sensitivity to touch, difficulty breathing, restlessness, urinary incontinence, low heart rate and seizures. In some cases, even death can sadly occur. If you suspect your pet has been exposed to a counterfeit medicine, seek veterinary advice immediately.

Sue Horseman from Bristol also purchased what appeared to be FRONTLINE® flea treatment online for her cat, but quickly became suspicious that the product wasn’t genuine. Sue explained that the product was difficult to open and had a distinct smell of white spirit and paraffin, whereas the genuine flea treatment has no smell. When she reported this to Trading Standards, experts confirmed that the treatment was a counterfeit.

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 counterfeit goods research (Wave 4) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ipo-counterfeit-goods-research-wave-4) shows that counterfeit goods of all types are frequently purchased via global e-commerce websites. The figures also show 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. Saving money is a strong motivator for buying fakes, with around three quarters (72%) of purchasers saying price was an important factor in their decision. Worryingly, around three-quarters (72%) wrongly believed the products would be of a similar quality to the genuine item.

The IPO’s Deputy Director of Enforcement Helen Barnham, said:

We are a nation of animal lovers, and criminals dealing in counterfeits are targeting pet owners with complete disregard for the animal’s wellbeing. This can have some distressing consequences, as they may contain toxic chemicals that are harmful to our pets. We are urging pet owners to be vigilant when purchasing any type of animal treatment, and beware of any offers that ‘look too good to be true’.

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.

Nina Downing, Vet Nurse from PDSA, a vet charity and a leading authority on pet health in the UK, said:

Counterfeit veterinary medicines can pose a serious threat to our pets ‘ health and wellbeing. While legitimate medications play a vital role in keeping our pets healthy, counterfeit products can cause severe harm or even be fatal. These fake medicines may contain incorrect ingredients or dangerous substances that can make pets extremely ill - leading to symptoms like twitching, swelling, breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhoea, collapse, coma and even death.

We always recommend that you only give your pet medication which has been prescribed by your vet. When fulfilling a prescription online, source them from reputable companies that are on the Register of online retailers, brought to you by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. If you suspect your pet is reacting badly to any medication, contact your vet immediately.

When examining the counterfeit FRONTLINE® flea treatment, experts from the University of Bath also identified telling packaging flaws. Most notably, the label used ‘GATTI’ (Italian for cats) instead of the English ‘CAT’, alongside multiple spelling errors - common indicators of counterfeit products.

Image: Packaging featuring spelling mistakes and mixed languages

Pet owners should check the packaging and always be cautious of third-party sellers when shopping on e-commerce sites for any type of pet medication.

The IPO and VMD are offering advice for consumers to help spot fake animal medicines, and what to do if they believe they may have purchased them or seen them offered for sale.

How to identify fake animal medicines online:

1. Warning signs of fake medicines. 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
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 be registered with the VMD. If in any doubt, you can check retailers on the VMD’s Register of Online Retailers (https://vmd.defra.gov.uk/register/online-retailers).

2. Always 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, you should report through the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QKH7KMJ).

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 (https://www.gov.uk/find-local-trading-standards-office) or Crimestoppers (https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously) online or by calling xx-xxxx-xxxx.

If you encounter suspicious veterinary medicines or retailers, please also report them to the VMD Enforcement Team. (You can do so anonymously if preferred):
- email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)
- phone: xx-xxxx-xxxx
- online: Report illegal animal medicines (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/report-illegal-animal-medicines)
Additional information

All veterinary medicines sold in the UK must be authorised. If the brand looks unfamiliar, ensure its authorised before purchasing. To know if the medicine is UK- approved, you should look for English labelling and a valid Marketing Authorisation number (e.g. Vm 12345/4001). You can check if the medicine you are buying is authorised in the UK by searching the VMD’s Product Information Database (https://www.gov.uk/check-animal-medicine-licensed).Using unauthorised medicine poses a serious risk to the welfare of your pet. These medicines have not been assessed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate and their safety, quality and efficacy cannot be guaranteed.

Online retailers of low-risk, general sale veterinary medicines that can be sold by anyone without a prescription (known as AVM-GSL medications) don’t need to register. When buying these medicines always shop from a trusted source.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office) is the UK government body responsible for responsible for intellectual property (IP) rights including patents, designs, trade marks and copyright. IPO is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology).

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-medicines-directorate) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the UK Competent Authority for veterinary medicines regulation. The VMD protects public health, animal health, and the environment and promotes animal welfare by assuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of veterinary medicines.

The IPO regularly conducts research to understand consumer behaviour in relation to the purchasing of and attitudes toward counterfeit goods. The most recent Counterfeit Goods Research (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ipo-counterfeit-goods-research-wave-4) report (published Tuesday 17 May 2025) show the main motivations for those who purchase counterfeits:
- similar/ the same quality - 72.3%
- wanting to reduce spending/outgoings - 72%
- the real product was out of your budget/ price range - 70.9%
- the fake product was cheaper - 72%
- hearing from family or friends that the ‘fake’ products were good - 64.8%
- similar/the same design - 64.6%
- being able to purchase ‘fake’ or counterfeit products easily - 60.5%