The Link Between Pet Prescriptions and the Opioid Epidemic

In recent years, Opioid abusers and dealers have increasingly been using pet prescriptions as sources for illegally obtaining opioids for use or sale.

Recent studies have noticed an increase in pet opioid prescriptions. A Penn Medicine and Penn Vet study found a spike in the number of pet opioid abuse, but not pet hospital visits. The study highlights that there was a 41% spike in pet opioid prescriptions between 2007 and 2017, but the number of pet hospitalizations rose only 13% in the same time.

Many speculate the disparity between the number of prescription opioids written and the number of hospitalizations means that owners are either using or selling the prescriptions provided to their pets. Since many pets are provided powerful opioids that can affect humans, pet owners can easily abuse medications veterinarians write. The most commonly prescribed opioids pets receive are:

• Tramadol
• Hydrocodone
• Morphine
• Buprenorphine
• Codeine
• Fentanyl

Codeine is available in pill form, while fentanyl come in patches for pets. These opioids are highly potent…