Diarrhea after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) in dogs

The FDA has received 1,203 reports of diarrhea in dogs after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin. That is 9.2% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.4% across reports for all dog medicines.

1,203Reports

67%Marked serious

39%Recovered

4.8%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

204 24%

1–2 days

215 26%

3–7 days

100 12%

1–4 weeks

209 25%

Over a month

107 13%

How the animals did

Recovered

465 39%

Still unwell when reported

64 5.3%

Died

32 2.7%

Euthanised

26 2.2%

Not known

616 51%

Problems reported at the same time

504 42%

273 23%

255 21%

222 18%

Didn't work as expected

136 11%

Itching

72 6.0%

Tremors

66 5.5%

Behaviour change

62 5.2%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

256

1–3 years

395

4–7 years

273

8–11 years

163

12+ years

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 diarrhea in dogs?: 1,203 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 2 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).

Diarrhea with similar medicines

Diarrhea after Spinosad (Comfortis) 2,388 reports · 4.2% of its reports
Diarrhea after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (Sentinel) 2,524 reports · 9.7% of its reports
Diarrhea after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 626 reports · 5.8% of its reports
Diarrhea after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Sentinel Spectrum) 800 reports · 8.0% of its reports
Diarrhea after Fipronil + S-methoprene (Frontline Plus) 230 reports · 7.8% of its reports
Diarrhea after Flumethrin + Imidacloprid (Seresto) 130 reports · 5.7% of its reports
Diarrhea after Imidacloprid 93 reports · 4.9% of its reports
Diarrhea after Fipronil 123 reports · 8.7% of its reports
Diarrhea after Lufenuron 182 reports · 18% of its reports
Diarrhea after Imidacloprid + Permethrin + Pyriproxyfen 53 reports · 7.2% of its reports

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