The latest "trend" with drug addicts is even more disgusting than the addicts themselves. Recently, addicts have come to the conclusion that the drug Tramadol, often prescribed for pets who have severe arthritis pain, is cheaper than the opioid, oxycodone. This has led to people all over the United States harming their dogs just so vets will prescribe them pain medication.

Once vets caught onto this idea, several offices stopped carrying the drug in office. Since January of this year, there is now a law forbidding veterinarians from prescribing more than a seven day prescription. This forces the addicts to continue to come back for medication, which can be an easy way to find out who is abusing the medicine, but can also lead to more harm to the animals. If an addict is taking the medication and run out, the first thing they're going to want to do is get more drugs. How do they get more drugs? They harm their pet again in hopes that a different vet will see the animal and prescribe the same thing.

With a large number of veterinarians in big cities, and also a large number of drug problems, it is happening more and more. It is easier for addicts to continue to harm their animals and move to a new vet because they are only a few miles apart. Veterinarians are also only allowed to give so many refills. The refill number varies on the level of pain the animal is in.

Now, vets must not only closely examine the animals they are trying to help, but also the owners. A few red flags vets are on the lookout for are refusal to access previous records and specifically asking for for Tramadol, according to CBS Pittsburgh News.

Society and police do not take lightly to the idea of animal abuse, and abusers will serve jail time. Kentucky police say a dog owner named Heather Periera, 23 cut her dog with a razor to take the prescribed pain killer. She was sentenced four years in prison.