Eye or vision problems after Moxidectin (ProHeart 6) in dogs

The FDA has received 252 reports of eye or vision problems in dogs after Moxidectin. That is 0.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all dog medicines.

252Reports

38%Marked serious

2.4%Recovered

29%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

38 37%

1–2 days

22 21%

3–7 days

15 15%

1–4 weeks

11 11%

Over a month

17 17%

How the animals did

Recovered

6 2.4%

Still unwell when reported

66 26%

Died

51 20%

Euthanised

22 8.7%

Not known

107 42%

Problems reported at the same time

72 29%

59 23%

54 21%

53 21%

43 17%

38 15%

29 12%

28 11%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Moxidectin prevents heartworm disease (monthly topical, or a 6- or 12-month injection for dogs).

Products with this ingredient include ProHeart 6, ProHeart 12. 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 Moxidectin cause eye or vision problems in dogs?: 252 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 1 day 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).

Eye or vision problems with similar medicines

Eye or vision problems after Ivermectin + Pyrantel (Heartgard Plus) 378 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (Trifexis) 486 reports · 0.4% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Interceptor Plus) 70 reports · 0.2% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Milbemycin Oxime (Interceptor) 88 reports · 0.3% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Selamectin (Revolution) 126 reports · 0.4% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Ivermectin (Heartgard) 958 reports · 8.0% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Ivermectin + Praziquantel + Pyrantel (Iverhart Max) 34 reports · 0.4% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Ivermectin + Praziquantel 95 reports · 47% of its reports
Eye or vision problems after Eprinomectin 81 reports · 77% of its reports

All reported side effects of Moxidectin in dogs · Medicines most reported with eye or vision problems