Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea

56,197 FDA adverse-event reports reference lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (VeDDRA 2649). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

56,197
reports citing this reaction
0.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Spinosad
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
56,197
Total Reports
171
Deaths
0.3%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 46,281
Cat 9,846
Other 33
Unknown 16
Rabbit 8
Ferret 4
Other Canids 2
Fox 2
Cattle 1
Macaw 1

Breeds Most Affected

Dog (unknown) 5,693
Crossbred Canine/dog 4,738
Domestic Shorthair 4,360
Chihuahua 3,703
Retriever - Labrador 2,361
Terrier - Yorkshire 2,358
Shih Tzu 2,215
Cat (unknown) 1,903
Maltese 1,413
Shepherd Dog - German 1,371

Associated Drugs

Spinosad 12,856
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 7,207
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 7,020
Nitenpyram 6,334
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 4,018
Afoxolaner 4,016
Selamectin 3,249
Fluralaner Spot-On Solution 2,965
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin 2,253
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 1,546
Imidacloprid 1,081
Sarolaner 1,032
Selamectin;Sarolaner 644
Lotilaner 540
Fluralaner/Moxidectin Spot-On 525
Fipronil 455
Ivermectin 426
Imidacloprid, Flumethrin 391
Flumethrin-Imidacloprid 341
Milbemycin Oxime, Lufenuron 300

Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea Reaction Insights

56,197 reports name Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea; 171 recorded a death outcome (0.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2649.

By species: Dog (46,281 reports), Cat (9,846 reports), Other (33 reports). By breed: Dog (unknown) (5,693), Crossbred Canine/dog (4,738), Domestic Shorthair (4,360).

Most co-reported drugs: Spinosad (12,856 reports), Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew (7,207 reports), Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (7,020 reports), Nitenpyram (6,334 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.