Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Heartworm Prevention (Unknown)

969 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Heartworm Prevention (Unknown). See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

969
adverse-event reports
2.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
232
Emesis - 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.
969
Total Reports
27
Deaths Reported
2.8%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Heartworm Prevention (Unknown)

Administration Routes

UnknownOralTopical

Species Affected

Dog 960
Cat 8
Unknown 1

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 96
Chihuahua 55
Crossbred Canine/dog 49
Terrier - Yorkshire 45
Shih Tzu 44
Shepherd Dog - German 40
Retriever - Golden 32
Pit Bull 32
Maltese 29
Boxer (German Boxer) 22

Most Reported Reactions

Emesis 232
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 160
Vomiting 141
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm 133
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 104
Lack of efficacy - NOS 53
Diarrhoea 40
Other abnormal test result NOS 33
Behavioural disorder NOS 32
Decreased appetite 26
Seizure NOS 26
Lack of efficacy (flea) 22

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
411 (42.5%)
Recovered/Normal
400 (41.3%)
Ongoing
73 (7.5%)
Recovered with Sequela
57 (5.9%)
Died
22 (2.3%)
Euthanized
5 (0.5%)

Heartworm Prevention (Unknown) Adverse Event Insights

969 reports name Heartworm Prevention (Unknown); 27 recorded a death outcome (2.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Heartworm Prevention (Unknown). Administration routes: Unknown, Oral, Topical.

By species: Dog (960 reports), Cat (8 reports), Unknown (1 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (96), Chihuahua (55), Crossbred Canine/dog (49).

Leading clinical signs: Emesis (232), Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (160), Vomiting (141), Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm (133). Outcome, 968 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 42.5%.

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.