Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Phenothrin

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

33
adverse-event reports
3.0%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
14
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.
33
Total Reports
1
Deaths Reported
3.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Phenothrin

Administration Routes

TopicalUnknownOtherCutaneous

Species Affected

Dog 24
Cat 9

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 7
Dachshund - Miniature 6
Shih Tzu 4
Domestic Longhair 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Terrier - Yorkshire 2
Terrier - Jack Russell 1
Boxer (German Boxer) 1
Terrier (unspecified) 1
Retriever - Labrador 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 14
Lack of efficacy (flea) 6
Itching 4
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 4
Vomiting 3
Behavioural disorder NOS 2
Vocalisation 2
Seizure NOS 2
Death 1
Reddening of the skin 1
Pruritic rash 1
Pruritus 1

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
22 (66.7%)
Recovered/Normal
5 (15.2%)
Ongoing
4 (12.1%)
Died
1 (3.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (3.0%)

Phenothrin Adverse Event Insights

33 reports name Phenothrin; 1 recorded a death outcome (3.0% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Phenothrin. Administration routes: Topical, Unknown, Other, Cutaneous.

By species: Dog (24 reports), Cat (9 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (7), Dachshund - Miniature (6), Shih Tzu (4).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (14), Lack of efficacy (flea) (6), Itching (4), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (4). Outcome, 33 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 66.7%.

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.