Wobbliness (ataxia) after Spinosad (Comfortis) in dogs

The FDA has received 1,456 reports of wobbliness (ataxia) in dogs after Spinosad. That is 2.6% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.6% across reports for all dog medicines.

1,456Reports

23%Marked serious

31%Recovered

7.6%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

242 40%

1–2 days

90 15%

3–7 days

22 3.7%

1–4 weeks

42 7.0%

Over a month

204 34%

How the animals did

Recovered

328 23%

Recovered with lasting effects

119 8.2%

Still unwell when reported

74 5.1%

Died

67 4.6%

Euthanised

43 3.0%

Not known

825 57%

Problems reported at the same time

544 37%

417 29%

376 26%

249 17%

Labelled drug-drug interaction medication error

212 15%

Drooling

207 14%

Seizures

171 12%

Eye or vision problems

166 11%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

219

1–3 years

398

4–7 years

336

8–11 years

254

12+ years

193

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 wobbliness (ataxia) in dogs?: 1,456 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).

Wobbliness (ataxia) with similar medicines

Wobbliness (ataxia) after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime (Sentinel) 504 reports · 1.9% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Imidacloprid + Moxidectin (Advantage Multi) 658 reports · 5.0% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Nitenpyram (Capstar) 219 reports · 2.0% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel (Sentinel Spectrum) 167 reports · 1.7% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Fipronil + S-methoprene (Frontline Plus) 79 reports · 2.7% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Flumethrin + Imidacloprid (Seresto) 45 reports · 2.0% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Imidacloprid 61 reports · 3.2% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Fipronil 32 reports · 2.3% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Lufenuron 27 reports · 2.7% of its reports
Wobbliness (ataxia) after Imidacloprid + Permethrin + Pyriproxyfen 29 reports · 3.9% of its reports

All reported side effects of Spinosad in dogs · Medicines most reported with wobbliness (ataxia)