Consumer Confidential: Bogus pet meds, Jack’s in trouble, National Coffee Day

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Here’s your what’s-the-buzz Wednesday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

--Pet medication can be costly. To reduce the bite, an increasing number of pet owners have been seeking discounts online. But our friends at the Food and Drug Administration say this isn’t always a good idea. The agency says some online companies are selling unapproved pet medications, outdated drugs and counterfeit products for dogs and cats. And some make fraudulent claims about their pet meds or dispense prescription drugs without written orders from a veterinarian, the agency says. Play it smart: Don’t put Fido at risk with dubious drugs.

--Tough times for Jack. Fast-food giant Jack in the Box says it will close 40 under-performing outlets, mostly in the Southeast and Texas, because folks in those parts aren’t buying enough Jumbo Jacks. The company has lowered its earnings expectations for the year and says the high unemployment rate is to blame. Actually, I think people tend to eat more fast food when times are tough, so maybe Jack needs to take a closer look at what’s on the menu.

--It’s National Coffee Day (woo-hoo!). You probably already know that more than a third of American workers consume two or more cups of coffee during the day, and that about 40% of workers say they are less productive without coffee. [Updated, 1:57 p.m.: Contrary to reports circulating on the Internet, Dunkin Donuts is not giving out free coffee Wednesday (a spokeswoman for the company said she didn’t know where these reports originated).]

-- David Lazarus