Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for head bobbing

1,398 FDA adverse-event reports reference head bobbing (VeDDRA 2022). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

1,398
reports citing this reaction
7.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
1,398
Total Reports
102
Deaths
7.3%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 1,144
Cat 227
Horse 16
Cattle 6
Guinea Pig 2
Parrot 1
Goat 1
Unknown 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 126
Retriever - Labrador 89
Crossbred Canine/dog 84
Retriever - Golden 60
Chihuahua 57
Terrier - Yorkshire 46
Boxer (German Boxer) 43
Shih Tzu 38
Spaniel - King Charles Cavalier 30
Terrier (unspecified) 27

Associated Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 189
Afoxolaner 158
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 133
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 66
Sarolaner 62
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 59
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 57
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 50
Spinosad 49
Selamectin 45
Lotilaner 44
Maropitant Citrate 42
Carprofen 39
Buprenorphine 38
Bedinvetmab 30
Gabapentin 29
Oclacitinib Maleate 26
Moxidectin 25
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin 24
Meloxicam 21

Head bobbing Reaction Insights

1,398 reports name Head bobbing; 102 recorded a death outcome (7.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2022.

By species: Dog (1,144 reports), Cat (227 reports), Horse (16 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (126), Retriever - Labrador (89), Crossbred Canine/dog (84).

Most co-reported drugs: Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (189 reports), Afoxolaner (158 reports), Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner (133 reports), Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt (66 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.