But the easiest way to spot a fake product would be to take it to your veterinarian or call the company for their opinion. Compare the lot number on the package to each individual applicator within the package; they should match. Look for the instruction pamphlet; fake Frontline Plus may not include the pamphlet inside the package.
Do you have experience with counterfeit flea control?
Even with the advent of the A.W.A.R.E. program from FDA to help consumers protect themselves, I had no personal experience with counterfeit products… until now. I recently acquired a phony flea control product purchased from a large well-known online retailer.
Is your flea medication not working if there are still fleas?
This sounds like a no-brainer – your flea medication isn’t working if there are still fleas around – but the reality is a little more complicated than that. “By the time you see fleas on your pet, they have generally been laying thousands and thousands of eggs in your house,” Verbrugge said.
Do you need a prescription to buy flea treatment online?
Remember, if the flea/tick treatment, heartworm prevention, or another medication requires a prescription from your veterinarian to purchase in person, a prescription will still be required to purchase online. Sellers that don’t require a prescription should be considered likely to be selling counterfeit products.
How can you tell if a product is fake?
Note that the fraud product has one ingredient (fipronil) listed on the package shown on the left and another ingredient listed (methoprene) on the adjacent label for the next tube. This inconsistency is not legal and is a sign of a fraudulent product. All labels must be identical. Fig 5 @DrKathrynPrimm
How do I know if my frontline is real?
Compare the lot number on the carton to the numbers on individual applicators and on the applicator package. The numbers should match. Look for the instruction booklet. Real boxes of Frontline Plus will contain one; counterfeit ones may not.
How can you tell a fake Nexgard?
How to identify counterfeit pet medications:Differences in weight between the outer package and the product inside.Lack of directions in English.Products not packaged in child-resistant packaging.Missing directions for use.More items...•
Is Frontline Plus Made in China?
Frontline Plus is manufactured in France and is then imported by different Merial branches and distributors all over the world. The look of the packages varies according to the rules and regulations of an individual country.
How do I know flea treatment has worked?
A. The active ingredient in FRONTLINE (fipronil) kills fleas by affecting their nervous system, making them hyperactive before dying. These dying fleas often rise to the top of your pet's haircoat, so the presence of visible fleas after treating your pet, is a sign that the product is working.
Is Fluralaner safe for dogs?
Oral administration of fluralaner at the highest recommended treatment dose (56 mg/kg) at 8-week intervals is well tolerated and has a safety margin of more than five in healthy dogs eight weeks of age or older and weighing at least 2 kg.
Are chewy prescriptions safe?
Yes, Chewy Pharmacy has NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) and LegitScript accreditation.
Does Frontline have permethrin?
Frontline Top Spot or Plus (tm)? The main advantages of Frontline are: it can be used on both cats and dogs, effectively controls fleas for 90 days and ticks for 30 days, is waterproof, and does not contain permethrin, which is toxic to cats.
What company owns Frontline?
Thoma BravoFrontline is currently owned by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, which acquired the company in 2017 in a deal that valued it at more than $1 billion.
Who owns Frontline Plus?
Merial Ltd.Frontline Plus is manufactured by Merial Ltd. of Duluth, Ga. “Activyl eliminated more than 99 percent of fleas on pets after two monthly applications versus a 54.8 percent reduction achieved by Frontline Plus,” Merck reported.
Do fleas jump off after treatment?
Flea larvae can remain dormant in your home for months, so new fleas may continue to emerge — even after treatment. These fleas will quickly die after hatching if you've treated your home and kept up with regular flea preventive for your pet, but it can take a while for all the existing fleas to hatch and be killed.
How long can fleas live in carpet?
On average, a flea can live for two to three months in the carpet. But without intervention, they can stay in the carpet without end if they have a host. If a blood meal isn't consumed the flea may only survive for a few days.
Does flea treatment still work if on fur?
If you have a pet with thick fur, this can present a challenge. However, the medication won't work correctly if only the hair follicles are involved – it must be applied to the skin.
How to Spot a Counterfeit
There is no single way to spot a counterfeit. Manufacturers of fake products are getting better and better skilled at creating convincing fakes. But, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified the most common indicators to keep a close eye on:
What To Do If You Discover a Counterfeit
For individual consumers, there is no penalty for purchasing a counterfeit product. Penalties only apply to persons who distribute or sell counterfeit products. However, purchasing a counterfeit pesticide may place you and your family at risk. Thus, the EPA recommends that consumers dispose of product that has been discovered to be counterfeit.
What If I Used the Product Before Discovering it was Fake?
First, contact your veterinarian for medical assistance and advice. In addition, the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) is a toll-free helpline (partly funded by EPA) created to assist in providing answers to most questions regarding pesticides and pesticide poisonings. You can reach NPIC at 1-800-858-7378. View NPIC’s website.
Is the packaging current?
In figure 1, the authentic packaging is the one shown on top. The lower one is an excellent forgery of old packaging. However in this case, the fake tubes say 2015, which would be impossible since this packaging was already retired by 2015. But for a consumer, the forgery looks very convincing.
Check the EPA registration numbers
Merial puts EPA Reg. numbers on the ends of their boxes. The fake duplicate (Fig 2. fake shown on top) has no EPA number, but with thieves as skillful as these, I am sure that future generations of their fakes will sport a mimicry of these numbers.
Watch for inconsistencies
My box says Frontline Plus on the outside, but the inner container says Frontline Combo. Frontline Combo is not a name legally used for products sold in the US and labeling must legally be consistent, so all components of a genuine product would be identical, inside and out. This difference is a warning sign.
Is the package childproof?
Merial’s packaging is childproof (and really difficult to open). The forgery was easy to open and not knowing what exactly was in the tubes made me very nervous around my family. It is also important that the EPA requires all components to be labeled identically so that they are accurate even if separated.
All labels must be identical
Note that the fraud product has one ingredient (fipronil) listed on the package shown on the left and another ingredient listed (methoprene) on the adjacent label for the next tube. This inconsistency is not legal and is a sign of a fraudulent product.
Genuine product has reminder stickers
All Merial products include reminder stickers for the pet owner’s calendar to help insure compliance. The fraud product had no stickers at all.
Why isn't my flea and tick treatment working?
Another reason why your flea and tick treatment may not be working any more is because fleas in your area are developing a resistance in your area (as I’ve recently heard). Either way, check with your veterinarian.
Does Frontline Plus come with a pamphlet?
Frontline Plus comes with them and the fake packages may not . The pamphlet includes how to use the product, how to store the product, warnings for the pets and humans, and more. 3 – Check to see if the applicators are child-resistant. There should be instructions on how to open the product.
How to tell if a flea and tick product is FDA approved?
An FDA-approved flea and tick product often has the statement, “Approved by FDA,” followed by the six-digit New Animal Drug Application (NADA) or Abbreviated New Animal Drug Application (ANADA) number on the label. If you have a question about the product’s approval status, you can follow the tips on how to tell if a drug is legally marketed ...
How to find out if a product is registered by the EPA?
Another way to determine if a product is registered by EPA is through Purdue University's National Pesticide Information Retrieval System (NPIRS) . The public portion of this system provides free, user-friendly information about EPA-registered pesticides.
Can a veterinarian prescribe flea and tick products?
If you’re a small animal veterinarian, you commonly prescribe flea and tick products for your patients. FDA approves some flea and tick products as animal drugs while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers others as pesticides.
Is there a counterfeit flea and tick product?
Unfortunately, counterfeit pet pesticides are a problem in the U.S. Counterfeit flea and tick products are illegally packaged to look like legitimate EPA-registered pet pesticid es.
What are the issues with counterfeit products?
Some of the issues that have been found include: Differences in weight between the outer package and the product inside. Lack of directions in English. Products not packaged in child-resistant packaging.
Can you get a penalty for selling counterfeit pesticides?
Penalties only apply to persons who distribute or sell counterfeit products. However, purchasing a counterfeit pesticide may place you and your family at risk. For example, first-aid treatment directions may not be immediately available in case of an emergency.
Is EPA aware of counterfeit pesticides?
EPA is aware of counterfeit pet pesticides designed to look like legitimately registered pesticide products. The information on this page is intended to help consumers avoid unregistered pet products. In addition, EPA may take civil or criminal enforcement action against those who sell, distribute, or import unregistered or counterfeit pet ...
Can the EPA take action against counterfeit pets?
In addition, EPA may take civil or criminal enforcement action against those who sell, distribute, or import unregistered or counterfeit pet products, and has done so in the past. For example, EPA cooperated in the prosecution of a Rhode Island man for the Internet sale of counterfeit pet pesticides, leading to a prison sentence.
What happens when an animal licks flea medication?
Vomiting and Lethargy. You might think these signs are emblematic of a problem with an oral medication, however, Verbrugge says, these reactions are most common when an animal licks off the topical flea medication that’s been applied to the hair and skin.
Why does my dog have a flea reaction?
By far the most reactions to flea medication occur when cats are exposed to certain flea medications that are meant for dogs, which might happen because a pet owner mistakenly buys the wrong product.
How to tell if your dog has licked off topical medication?
Other signs that your animal has licked off the topical medication are drooling and foaming at the mouth. Some medications can cause mild oral irritation or ulceration in the mouth if licked in large quantities. Occasionally, these symptoms can also occur as the result of oral medications, said Milosevic.
Why do cats react to fleas?
By far the most reactions to flea medication occur when cats are exposed to certain flea medications that are meant for dogs, which might happen because a pet owner mistakenly buys the wrong product.
How many active ingredients are in flea medicine?
There are more than a dozen “active” ingredients across the spectrum of flea medications. These are the ingredients that give each medicine its potency. Also in each respective formula are numerous “non-active” or “inert” ingredients, which are basically vehicles that help make the active ingredient more effective or palatable.
