Anxiety after Spinosad (Comfortis) in dogs

141 reports to the FDA describe anxiety in dogs given Spinosad. 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.

141Reports

38%Marked serious

55%Recovered

5.7%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

48 49%

1–2 days

10 10%

3–7 days

5 5.1%

1–4 weeks

6 6.1%

Over a month

29 30%

How the animals did

Recovered

59 42%

Recovered with lasting effects

18 13%

Still unwell when reported

18 13%

Died

5 3.5%

Euthanised

3 2.1%

Not known

38 27%

Problems reported at the same time

39 28%

37 26%

37 26%

34 24%

33 23%

32 23%

Restlessness or agitation

31 22%

Seizures

21 15%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Spinosad kills fleas; monthly chewable.

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

Questions owners ask

Can Spinosad cause anxiety in dogs?: 141 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).

Anxiety with similar medicines

Anxiety after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (Sentinel) 113 reports · 0.4% of its reports
Anxiety after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) 103 reports · 0.8% of its reports
Anxiety after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 63 reports · 0.6% of its reports
Anxiety after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Sentinel Spectrum) 36 reports · 0.4% of its reports
Anxiety after Fipronil + S-methoprene (Frontline Plus) 36 reports · 1.2% of its reports
Anxiety after Flumethrin + Imidacloprid (Seresto) 23 reports · 1.0% of its reports
Anxiety after Fipronil 23 reports · 1.6% of its reports
Anxiety after Cyphenothrin + Fipronil + S-methoprene 39 reports · 6.0% of its reports

All reported side effects of Spinosad in dogs · Medicines most reported with anxiety