Death after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) in dogs

The FDA has received 511 reports of death in dogs after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin. That is 3.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 5.2% across reports for all dog medicines.

511Reports

91%Marked serious

0.0%Recovered

99%Died or euthanised

6 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

59 20%

1–2 days

62 21%

3–7 days

39 13%

1–4 weeks

70 24%

Over a month

67 23%

How the animals did

Still unwell when reported

1 0.2%

Died

309 60%

Euthanised

199 39%

Not known

2 0.4%

Problems reported at the same time

102 20%

99 19%

81 16%

59 12%

58 11%

53 10%

52 10%

41 8.0%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

119

12+ years

132

About this medicine

Imidacloprid kills fleas (spot-on or collar). Moxidectin prevents heartworm disease (monthly topical, or a 6- or 12-month injection for dogs).

Products with this combination include Advantage Multi. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.

Questions owners ask

Can Imidacloprid + Moxidectin cause death in dogs?: 511 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 6 days of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Death with similar medicines

Death after Spinosad (Comfortis) 1,441 reports · 2.5% of its reports
Death after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (Sentinel) 545 reports · 2.1% of its reports
Death after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 349 reports · 3.2% of its reports
Death after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Sentinel Spectrum) 139 reports · 1.4% of its reports
Death after Fipronil + S-methoprene (Frontline Plus) 98 reports · 3.3% of its reports
Death after Flumethrin + Imidacloprid (Seresto) 69 reports · 3.0% of its reports
Death after Imidacloprid 48 reports · 2.5% of its reports
Death after Fipronil 52 reports · 3.7% of its reports
Death after Lufenuron 74 reports · 7.3% of its reports
Death after Imidacloprid + Permethrin + Pyriproxyfen 29 reports · 3.9% of its reports

All reported side effects of Imidacloprid + Moxidectin in dogs · Medicines most reported with death