Pet owners harming animals for access to prescription

Published: Updated:

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Some pet owners are harming their animals in order to get access to a prescription for a veterinary drug.

Veterinarians frequently prescribe Tramadol, a pain killer that was recently labeled a narcotic by the Drug Enforcement Agency, to treat pets with injuries. New rules require vets to keep logs tracking the recipients of the drug, but the issue persists.

Vets must also notify authorities if they think an animal has been abused.

Pet owners with leftover Tramadol pills are also at risk. The drug can be safely disposed of at sites listed on this web page.

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