Avoiding Counterfeit Pet Medications Well-known pet medicine products, such as the Advantage® line of topical flea control products, are often copied and reproduced by illegitimate companies and then passed off as being authentic Advantage products. Pet owners should be aware of this if they sometimes purchase pet meds from unusual or suspect sources. Why should you care if your Advantage is authentic? In some cases, counterfeit products may not have the proper packaging or instructional leaflet to ensure proper usage. In addition, you cannot be assured that the dosage is correct for the animal pictured on the retail carton. How can you determine if your product is authentic? First, if you purchased your Advantage from a veterinarian, you should feel reasonably assured about the authenticity of the product. Second, according to the EPA, counterfeit packaging may be difficult to distinguish from legitimate product packaging. To determine if the product you have purchased is legitimate, check to see if it meets the following criteria. If the product fails any one of these criteria, it most likely is an illegitimate product and should be disposed of properly. The only way to determine a legitimate Advantage product from a counterfeit product is by examining the actual applicator tubes that are inside the carton. Since the directions for use on the retail carton (outer box) and instruction leaflet of the legitimate product and the counterfeit product are identical, check the language that is printed on the applicator tubes. The legitimate Advantage products all contain applicator tubes that are printed in English. The most obvious sign of a counterfeit product is that the applicator tubes are printed in a foreign language (most likely German or French). The legitimate applicator tubes include EPA Registration Number, the signal word WARNING, and the child hazard warning (Keep Out of Reach of Children). Counterfeit applicator tubes may lack this information. Legitimate applicator tubes will also include a reference statement that refers users to the main labeling for directions for use and will include the manufacturing company’s name (Bayer). Counterfeit applicator tubes may lack this information. Legitimate applicator tubes will contain an active ingredient statement that agrees with the active ingredient statement on the retail carton (9.1% imidacloprid). A counterfeit product may have an active ingredient statement that differs (such as 10%). PetCareRX for Advantage products. This site is not owned by or in any way affiliated with Bayer HealthCare's Animal Health Division, a subgroup of Bayer AG, the maker of Advantage® Topical Solution. This site is merely a guide to help consumers find authentic Advantage pet medications online. advantage flea control treatment - find genuine flea prevention pet meds online at our homepage. advantage flea treatment medicine for cats - a list of top pharmacies and non prescription flea & tick control product stores. cat and dog health insurance protection - find health coverage for your dog and financial protection for you. counterfeit pet medications and products - tips on how to look for counterfeit pet medicines and flea and tick treatments. contact this site - details on how to contact our site. other pet helpful pages of interest - discover other interesting pet-related web sites. legal site use and privacy policy information - our site's privacy policy and details concerning your use of this web site. site map - a brief list of this site's main pages in alphabetical order. Dog supplies - stock up on needed accessories for your dog or puppy. Buy toys, treats, collars, grooming products, training equipment, beds and more. Copyright © 2005 - 2008 Flea and Tick Prevention .com. All rights reserved.