Pica after Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Interceptor Plus) in dogs

The FDA has received 162 reports of pica in dogs after Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel. That is 0.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.2% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

162Reports

13%Marked serious

35%Recovered

1.9%Died or euthanised

31 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

40 37%

1–2 days

7 6.4%

3–7 days

2 1.8%

1–4 weeks

3 2.8%

Over a month

57 52%

How the animals did

Recovered

56 35%

Still unwell when reported

36 22%

Died

1 0.6%

Euthanised

2 1.2%

Not known

67 41%

Problems reported at the same time

83 51%

38 23%

36 22%

35 22%

30 19%

23 14%

Didn't work as expected

16 9.9%

Breathing problems

13 8.0%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Milbemycin Oxime prevents heartworm and controls some intestinal worms (monthly). Praziquantel treats tapeworms.

Products with this combination include Interceptor 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 Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel cause pica in dogs?: 162 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 31 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).

Pica with similar medicines

Pica after Ivermectin + Pyrantel (Heartgard Plus) 267 reports · 0.2% of its reports
Pica after Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (Trifexis) 374 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Pica after Moxidectin (ProHeart 6) 29 reports · 0.1% of its reports
Pica after Milbemycin Oxime (Interceptor) 46 reports · 0.2% of its reports
Pica after Selamectin (Revolution) 26 reports · 0.1% of its reports
Pica after Ivermectin (Heartgard) 34 reports · 0.3% of its reports

All reported side effects of Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel in dogs · Medicines most reported with pica