Investigating illicit dog health supplements using various analytical techniques

Health supplements are widely used by pet owners to provide a long and healthy life for their pets. Despite the widespread use of pet health supplements, the regulation of these products remains limited, so they are more likely to be targeted to be made as illegal products. Within this study we investigated two dog supplements used for joint care that were suspected to be illicit using a range of analytical measurement techniques. Visual inspection of the external packaging showed similarities between the real and illicit products, but there were clear differences in the blister pack and appearance of the supplements. The illicit supplements had a lower weight and increased hardness. The infra-red spectra of the real and illicit supplement were closely correlated, but there were a significantly lower amount of vitamin C, vitamin E, manganese and Omega-3 fatty acids present within the illicit tablets. Our findings showcase that the illicit tablets are falsified as they contain a lower quantity of ingredients by cutting real original tablets with bulking agents to vastly increase the yield. Our findings showcase that illicit pet supplements are being produced and sold using online marketplaces providing considerable risk to pet owners and therefore there is a need for greater awareness on the risks posed by illicit products.