Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Unspecified Heartworm Preventative

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

36
adverse-event reports
8.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
10
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm - 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.
36
Total Reports
3
Deaths Reported
8.3%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Unspecified Heartworm Preventative

Administration Routes

UnknownOralTopicalSubcutaneous

Species Affected

Dog 36

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 8
Retriever - Golden 3
Crossbred Canine/dog 3
Spaniel - Cocker American 2
Shih Tzu 2
Beagle 2
Hound (unspecified) 2
Shepherd Dog - German 1
Pug 1
Terrier - Yorkshire 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm 10
Lack of efficacy - NOS 3
Cough 3
Death by euthanasia 3
Panting 2
Abnormal radiograph finding 2
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 2
Tongue disorder NOS 2
Drooling 2
Lip licking 2
Vomiting 1
INEFFECTIVE, LOSS OF EFFECT 1

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
14 (38.9%)
Outcome Unknown
10 (27.8%)
Recovered/Normal
9 (25.0%)
Euthanized
3 (8.3%)

Unspecified Heartworm Preventative Adverse Event Insights

36 reports name Unspecified Heartworm Preventative; 3 recorded a death outcome (8.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Unspecified Heartworm Preventative. Administration routes: Unknown, Oral, Topical, Subcutaneous.

By species: Dog (36 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (8), Retriever - Golden (3), Crossbred Canine/dog (3).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm (10), Lack of efficacy - NOS (3), Cough (3), Death by euthanasia (3). Outcome, 36 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 38.9%.

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.