Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for head down

526 FDA adverse-event reports reference head down (VeDDRA 2397). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

526
reports citing this reaction
19.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Afoxolaner
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
526
Total Reports
104
Deaths
19.8%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 393
Cat 95
Horse 25
Cattle 10
Rabbit 2
Turkey 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 57
Retriever - Labrador 45
Retriever - Golden 24
Terrier - Yorkshire 23
Crossbred Canine/dog 23
Chihuahua 22
Shepherd Dog - German 16
Shepherd Dog - Australian 13
Dog (unknown) 10
Quarter Horse 10

Associated Drugs

Afoxolaner 58
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 48
Bedinvetmab 41
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 29
Maropitant Citrate 27
Sarolaner 23
Carprofen 23
Oclacitinib Maleate 21
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 21
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 20
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 19
Cefovecin 18
Gabapentin 18
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 17
Moxidectin 16
Buprenorphine 14
Prednisone 13
Eprinomectin + Esafoxolaner + Praziquantel 13
Isoflurane 12
Selamectin 11

Head down Reaction Insights

526 reports name Head down; 104 recorded a death outcome (19.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2397.

By species: Dog (393 reports), Cat (95 reports), Horse (25 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (57), Retriever - Labrador (45), Retriever - Golden (24).

Most co-reported drugs: Afoxolaner (58 reports), Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner (48 reports), Bedinvetmab (41 reports), Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt (29 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.