Reaction profile

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

8,320 FDA adverse-event reports reference lack of efficacy (flea) (VeDDRA 2649). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

8,320
reports citing this reaction
0.2%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Nitenpyram
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
8,320
Total Reports
13
Deaths
0.2%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 7,217
Cat 1,095
Unknown 5
Other 3

Breeds Most Affected

Dog (unknown) 1,023
Crossbred Canine/dog 787
Chihuahua 630
Domestic Shorthair 482
Terrier - Yorkshire 376
Retriever - Labrador 355
Shih Tzu 342
Pit Bull 244
Cat (unknown) 217
Shepherd Dog - German 176

Associated Drugs

Nitenpyram 1,803
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 1,591
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 1,451
Spinosad 1,081
Afoxolaner 830
Afoxolaner 28.3 Mg Chewable Tablets 301
Selamectin 236
Afoxolaner 68 Mg Chewable Tablets 215
Lotilaner 177
Fluralaner Spot-On Solution 165
Afoxolaner 11.3 Mg Chewable Tablets 152
Afoxolaner 136 Mg Chewable Tablets 137
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin 117
Flea Product (Unknown) 97
Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime 97
Flea Shampoo 83
Sarolaner 73
Fipronil 72
Milbemycin Oxime, Lufenuron 66
Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 61

Lack of efficacy (flea) Reaction Insights

8,320 reports name Lack of efficacy (flea); 13 recorded a death outcome (0.2% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2649.

By species: Dog (7,217 reports), Cat (1,095 reports), Unknown (5 reports). By breed: Dog (unknown) (1,023), Crossbred Canine/dog (787), Chihuahua (630).

Most co-reported drugs: Nitenpyram (1,803 reports), Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (1,591 reports), Fluralaner Chew Tablets (1,451 reports), Spinosad (1,081 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.