Reaction profile

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

1,001 FDA adverse-event reports reference lack of efficacy (heartworm) (VeDDRA 2430). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

1,001
reports citing this reaction
1.0%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
1,001
Total Reports
10
Deaths
1.0%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 1,000
Cat 1

Breeds Most Affected

Retriever - Labrador 226
Shepherd Dog - German 74
Crossbred Canine/dog 74
Beagle 41
Dog (unknown) 38
Pit Bull 37
Retriever - Golden 30
Boxer (German Boxer) 27
Terrier (unspecified) 26
Shepherd Dog - Australian 24

Associated Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 345
Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime 338
Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 199
Moxidectin 162
Milbemycin Oxime 86
Ivermectin + Pyrantel Pamoate 56
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 52
Ivermectin 49
Selamectin 45
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 33
Ivermectin/Pyrantel 31
Melarsomine Dihydrochloride 24
Afoxolaner 19
Ivermectin + Praziquantel + Pyrantel Pamoate 19
Fluralaner 18
Doxycycline 18
Milbemycin Oxime + Lufenuron 11
Spinosad/Milbemycin Oxime 10
Imidacolprid And Moxidectin 9
Prednisone 9

Lack of efficacy (heartworm) Reaction Insights

1,001 reports name Lack of efficacy (heartworm); 10 recorded a death outcome (1.0% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2430.

By species: Dog (1,000 reports), Cat (1 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (226), Shepherd Dog - German (74), Crossbred Canine/dog (74).

Most co-reported drugs: Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (345 reports), Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (338 reports), Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (199 reports), Moxidectin (162 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.