Reluctant to move after Ivermectin + Pyrantel (Heartgard Plus) in dogs

The FDA has received 256 reports of reluctant to move in dogs after Ivermectin + Pyrantel. That is 0.2% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported less often than average with this medicine.

256Reports

40%Marked serious

30%Recovered

8.2%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

45 35%

1–2 days

25 20%

3–7 days

10 7.8%

1–4 weeks

19 15%

Over a month

29 23%

How the animals did

Recovered

73 29%

Recovered with lasting effects

3 1.2%

Still unwell when reported

27 11%

Died

13 5.1%

Euthanised

8 3.1%

Not known

132 52%

Problems reported at the same time

103 40%

70 27%

50 20%

37 14%

32 13%

30 12%

28 11%

28 11%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Ivermectin prevents heartworm disease (monthly). Pyrantel treats roundworms and hookworms.

Products with this combination include Heartgard Plus, Tri-Heart Plus, Iverhart Plus. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.

Some herding breeds (for example Collies) carry the MDR1 gene variant and can be more sensitive to this drug class at high doses.

Questions owners ask

Can Ivermectin + Pyrantel cause reluctant to move in dogs?: 256 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).

Reluctant to move with similar medicines

Reluctant to move after Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (Trifexis) 394 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Moxidectin (ProHeart 6) 290 reports · 0.6% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Interceptor Plus) 84 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Milbemycin Oxime (Interceptor) 64 reports · 0.2% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Selamectin (Revolution) 86 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Ivermectin (Heartgard) 56 reports · 0.5% of its reports
Reluctant to move after Ivermectin + Praziquantel + Pyrantel (Iverhart Max) 26 reports · 0.3% of its reports

All reported side effects of Ivermectin + Pyrantel in dogs · Medicines most reported with reluctant to move