Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Pyrethrin

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

16
adverse-event reports
6.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
4
Ataxia - 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
1
Deaths Reported
6.3%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Pyrethrin

Administration Routes

TopicalUnknownCutaneousAuricular (Otic)Other

Species Affected

Dog 12
Cat 4

Most Affected Breeds

Pekingese 2
Domestic Mediumhair 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Hound - Basset 1
Maine Coon 1
Domestic Shorthair 1
Terrier - Boston 1
Dog (unknown) 1
Retriever - Labrador 1
Terrier - Jack Russell 1

Most Reported Reactions

Ataxia 4
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 3
Not eating 3
Overdose 3
Lack of efficacy (flea) 3
Partial lack of efficacy 3
Disorientation 2
Blindness 2
Mydriasis 2
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 2
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 2
Behavioural disorder NOS 1

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
6 (37.5%)
Recovered/Normal
4 (25.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
3 (18.8%)
Ongoing
2 (12.5%)
Euthanized
1 (6.3%)

Pyrethrin Adverse Event Insights

16 reports name Pyrethrin; 1 recorded a death outcome (6.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Pyrethrin. Administration routes: Topical, Unknown, Cutaneous, Auricular (Otic).

By species: Dog (12 reports), Cat (4 reports). By breed: Pekingese (2), Domestic Mediumhair (2), Crossbred Canine/dog (2).

Leading clinical signs: Ataxia (4), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (3), Not eating (3), Overdose (3). Outcome, 16 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 37.5%.

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.