Drooling after Spinosad (Comfortis) in dogs

The FDA has received 878 reports of drooling in dogs after Spinosad. That is 1.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.4% across reports for all dog medicines.

878Reports

21%Marked serious

32%Recovered

6.6%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

141 39%

1–2 days

47 13%

3–7 days

9 2.5%

1–4 weeks

35 9.7%

Over a month

127 35%

How the animals did

Recovered

224 26%

Recovered with lasting effects

61 6.9%

Still unwell when reported

39 4.4%

Died

48 5.5%

Euthanised

10 1.1%

Not known

496 56%

Problems reported at the same time

354 40%

317 36%

217 25%

207 24%

158 18%

108 12%

Labelled drug-drug interaction medication error

103 12%

Breathing problems

82 9.3%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

149

1–3 years

325

4–7 years

202

8–11 years

104

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 drooling in dogs?: 878 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).

Drooling with similar medicines

Drooling after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (Sentinel) 270 reports · 1.0% of its reports
Drooling after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) 399 reports · 3.0% of its reports
Drooling after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 158 reports · 1.5% of its reports
Drooling after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Sentinel Spectrum) 112 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Drooling after Fipronil + S-methoprene (Frontline Plus) 73 reports · 2.5% of its reports
Drooling after Flumethrin + Imidacloprid (Seresto) 24 reports · 1.1% of its reports
Drooling after Fipronil 24 reports · 1.7% of its reports

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