A heartbroken dog owner has claimed his pet was ‘murdered’ after not being warned of the possible effects of a popular medication.
Ted DeSalvo, from Windham, Ohio, suddenly lost his three-year-old boxer dog Greta after she took a popular medication that is supposed to protect our pets.
DeSalvo reported that his dog had been taking the pill every month for two years, and had been seemingly fine up until this point.
He also claimed that he wasn’t told by vets that the medicine can cause possible complications, which he later found out about in a tragic way.
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The chewable tablet, named Simparica Trio, is taken by dogs and cats all around the world in order to protect them from ticks, fleas and heartworm disease.
Despite this, Greta suffered two seizures on June 2, a day after she took the pill, and had to be euthanized as a result.
After giving Greta her monthly dose of Simparica Trio on June 1, DeSalvo quickly realised that she wasn't acting like she normally would.
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Talking to WOIO, he said: “She was murdered in my view. She was murdered by this product.
“Usually she runs out of her crate, but this time she didn't run out, she hesitated and we looked inside and she was shaking. She was having seizures.
“We asked about the medication, and that time she did admit to calling my wife and I, saying that she’s seen that product do that to other dogs.”
On the reverse side of the box of pills - which are made by Zoetis - it does contain a list of possible side effects that reportedly induce ‘ataxia, tremors, and seizures’.
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DeSalvo said that his dog had not had any previous medical conditions to his knowledge, and that he was not aware of the risks linked to the tablets.
“Why are those warnings on the box if it’s safe? This was not explained to us,” he said.
This isn’t the first time an incident like this has occurred.
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In 2022, Zoetis released a statement after an owner of another dog took to social media to blame Simparica Trio.
The company said: “We are confident that Simparica Trio, which has been prescribed to protect over 10 million dogs since coming to the U.S. market in 2020, remains an effective and safe parasite preventative option for most dogs.”
Despite this, DeSalvo posted a picture on Facebook of his beloved Greta with his other dog Emma, writing: “Greta passed away today. Please don't ever use Simparica Trio, it's a killer. It has insecticide in it.”
Tyla has contacted Zoetis for further comment.
Mia Williams