Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for ear twitching

202 FDA adverse-event reports reference ear twitching (VeDDRA 1138). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

202
reports citing this reaction
8.9%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
202
Total Reports
18
Deaths
8.9%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 105
Cat 95
Rabbit 1
Cattle 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 61
Crossbred Canine/dog 10
Retriever - Golden 9
Cat (unknown) 7
Retriever - Labrador 7
Domestic (unspecified) 6
Chihuahua 6
Domestic Longhair 6
Siamese 4
Shepherd Dog - Australian 4

Associated Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 26
Afoxolaner 16
Spinosad 15
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin 15
Fluralaner Spot-On Solution 15
Selamectin 14
Emodepside + Praziquantel 7
Sarolaner 7
Vitamins 6
Selamectin;Sarolaner 6
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 6
Moxidectin 5
Maropitant Citrate 5
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 5
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 5
Buprenorphine 5
Butorphanol 4
Phenobarbital 4
Cefovecin 4
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 4

Ear twitching Reaction Insights

202 reports name Ear twitching; 18 recorded a death outcome (8.9% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 1138.

By species: Dog (105 reports), Cat (95 reports), Rabbit (1 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (61), Crossbred Canine/dog (10), Retriever - Golden (9).

Most co-reported drugs: Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (26 reports), Afoxolaner (16 reports), Spinosad (15 reports), Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (15 reports).

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, co-reporting reflects temporal association captured in voluntary submissions, not proof that a drug caused this reaction. A widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw co-reports at an identical true rate than a rarely-used one, so compare within similar-exposure products.

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.