Opioid Addiction Crisis Puts Pets in Danger Too

(WUSA, April 28) The opioid addiction epidemic may be putting some pets in danger.
 

In some cases, owners who are addicted to pain medications will harm their animals so they can get their hands on the painkillers prescribed to their pets. 
 

Similar to “doctor shopping,” with so-called “vet-shopping,” owners will go from vet to vet to get painkillers meant for their pets. One medication in particular that has opioid-like effects is Tramadol.
 

“Typically, you start to get excuses of why [vet shoppers] need frequent refills,” Dr. Kristy Bennett, a veterinarian told WUSA. “They are running out of drugs before they are supposed to. There’s always some sort of story of they’ve lost the prescription.” Read more.