Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Permethrin

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

38
adverse-event reports
10.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
11
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.
38
Total Reports
4
Deaths Reported
10.5%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Permethrin

Administration Routes

TopicalCutaneousUnknownOther

Species Affected

Dog 25
Cattle 10
Cat 2
Goat 1

Most Affected Breeds

Cattle (other) 5
Shepherd Dog - German 5
Dachshund - Miniature 5
Mixed (Cattle) 4
Beagle 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Sheepdog - Shetland 2
Retriever - Labrador 2
Domestic Shorthair 1
Mixed (Dog) 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 11
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 4
Application site pruritus 3
Lack of efficacy (flea) 3
Death 3
Lack of efficacy - NOS 3
Flaking skin 2
Skin lesion NOS 2
Depression 2
Disorientation 2
Not eating 2
Drooling 1

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
29 (69.0%)
Recovered/Normal
5 (11.9%)
Died
3 (7.1%)
Ongoing
3 (7.1%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (2.4%)
Euthanized
1 (2.4%)

Permethrin Adverse Event Insights

38 reports name Permethrin; 4 recorded a death outcome (10.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Permethrin. Administration routes: Topical, Cutaneous, Unknown, Other.

By species: Dog (25 reports), Cattle (10 reports), Cat (2 reports). By breed: Cattle (other) (5), Shepherd Dog - German (5), Dachshund - Miniature (5).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (11), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (4), Application site pruritus (3), Lack of efficacy (flea) (3). Outcome, 42 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 69.0%.

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.