Inappropriate urination after Sarolaner (Simparica) in dogs

The FDA has received 80 reports of inappropriate urination in dogs after Sarolaner. That is 0.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.5% across reports for all dog medicines.

80Reports

63%Marked serious

21%Recovered

6.3%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

31 41%

1–2 days

20 27%

3–7 days

7 9.3%

1–4 weeks

9 12%

Over a month

8 11%

How the animals did

Recovered

17 21%

Still unwell when reported

37 46%

Died

2 2.5%

Euthanised

3 3.8%

Not known

21 26%

Problems reported at the same time

27 34%

23 29%

22 28%

19 24%

18 23%

Inappropriate defecation

16 20%

Wobbliness (ataxia)

16 20%

Behaviour change

12 15%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Sarolaner kills fleas, ticks and some mites; monthly.

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

In 2018 the FDA alerted owners and vets that isoxazoline products have been associated with neurologic reactions such as muscle tremors, wobbliness (ataxia) and seizures, including in animals with no history of them.

Questions owners ask

Can Sarolaner cause inappropriate urination in dogs?: 80 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).

Inappropriate urination with similar medicines

Inappropriate urination after Fluralaner (Bravecto) 469 reports · 0.7% of its reports
Inappropriate urination after Afoxolaner (NexGard) 472 reports · 0.8% of its reports
Inappropriate urination after Lotilaner (Credelio) 97 reports · 1.0% of its reports
Inappropriate urination after Afoxolaner + Moxidectin + Pyrantel (NexGard PLUS) 39 reports · 0.4% of its reports

All reported side effects of Sarolaner in dogs · Medicines most reported with inappropriate urination