Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Flea Preventative

16 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Flea Preventative. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

16
adverse-event reports
12.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
9
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea - top reaction
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Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
16
Total Reports
2
Deaths Reported
12.5%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Flea Preventative

Administration Routes

UnknownTopical

Species Affected

Dog 9
Cat 7

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Longhair 3
Cat (unknown) 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Terrier - Yorkshire 2
Pekingese 2
Crossbred Feline/cat 1
Bengal 1
Retriever - Labrador 1
Siberian Husky 1
Terrier - Bull - American Pit 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 9
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - tapeworm 2
Death by euthanasia 2
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 1
Grooming disorder 1
Weight loss 1
Anorexia 1
Ocular discharge 1
Nasal discharge 1
Overdose 1
Application site inflammation 1
Application site dry skin 1

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
11 (68.8%)
Recovered/Normal
2 (12.5%)
Euthanized
2 (12.5%)
Ongoing
1 (6.3%)

Flea Preventative Adverse Event Insights

16 reports name Flea Preventative; 2 recorded a death outcome (12.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Flea Preventative. Administration routes: Unknown, Topical.

By species: Dog (9 reports), Cat (7 reports). By breed: Domestic Longhair (3), Cat (unknown) (2), Crossbred Canine/dog (2).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (9), Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - tapeworm (2), Death by euthanasia (2), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (1). Outcome, 16 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 68.8%.

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, a widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw FDA reports in a given year than a rarely-used one at an identical true rate, so we recommend comparing within similar-exposure products rather than across the full 2025 catalog.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events (CVM AER) · 2025

Every figure on PlainBreed is rendered directly from FDA openFDA adverse event data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FDA openFDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.