Breed · Dog

Shepherd: adverse event reports

FDA breed label "Shepherd (unspecified)" · single-breed animals only

Read this first · FDA's caveat, in its words

An API dataset query result cannot be used to estimate the risk associated with the product or compare one drug or device product with another. When looking at the results, be aware that there is no certainty that the reported drug or device caused the adverse event. This dataset should not be the sole source of information for clinical decision-making or other assumptions about the safety or effectiveness of a product. The adverse event may have been related to an underlying disease, other drugs used at the same time or other non-drug related sources. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine

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Not veterinary advice. This site lists what was reported to FDA. For an animal that is unwell, contact a veterinarian.

842reports, 2011–20260.1% of dog reports

69reports, 12 months to March 202676 in the 12 months before

34.9%classed serious, as reportedall dogs: 38.3%

16.3%name pyrantel pamoate + sarolanerall dogs: 5.1%

FDA's database holds 842 reports where the animal's breed is given as "Shepherd (unspecified)", shown here as Shepherd: 0.1% of reports about dogs. Reports on crossbred animals are left out of breed pages.

69 reports arrived in the 12 months to March 2026, close to the 76 of the 12 months before. A breed's count mostly mirrors how common the breed is; registration and ownership figures by breed are not public data, so no per-animal rate can be given.

By active ingredient, the drugs named most often are pyrantel pamoate + sarolaner, moxidectin and milbemycin oxime + spinosad. Pyrantel Pamoate + Sarolaner is named in 16.3% of this breed's reports, a larger share than in reports about all dogs (5.1%).

The terms listed most often are vomiting (15.9%), lethargy (8.6%) and lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm (8.4%). Vomiting appears in 15.9% of reports, about the same share as in all dog reports (19.7%). 34.9% of reports stating seriousness were classed as serious, against 38.3% for dogs overall.

Drugs named most often, by active ingredient

Active ingredients recorded for the drug	Reports	Share of Shepherd reports	Share of all dog reports
Pyrantel Pamoate + Sarolaner	137	16.3%	5.1%
Moxidectin	112	13.3%	5%
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad	104	12.4%	13.1%
Oclacitinib	77	9.1%	2.9%
Carprofen	61	7.2%	4.8%
Bedinvetmab	54	6.4%	1.9%
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel	50	5.9%	3.1%
Sarolaner	46	5.5%	1.7%
Spinosad	44	5.2%	5.8%
Selamectin	37	4.4%	3%
Melarsomine Dihydrochloride	32	3.8%	2.3%
Gabapentin	27	3.2%	0.9%
Prednisone	22	2.6%	0.9%
Fluralaner	20	2.4%	6.7%
Grapiprant	20	2.4%	0.8%
Milbemycin Oxime	15	1.8%	3%
Tramadol	15	1.8%	0.4%
Ivermectin + Pyrantel Pamoate	13	1.5%	14.9%
Maropitant	12	1.4%	1.2%
Butorphanol Tartrate	11	1.3%	0.4%

Ordered by report count. Differences from the species column often come from body size (which drugs a breed is prescribed) and from how common the breed was in the years a drug sold most. FDA states that these data cannot be used to estimate risk or to compare one product with another. Brand and manufacturer names are masked by FDA in these records.

Signs listed in reports

share of Shepherd reports listing the termall dog reports

Vomiting15.9%134
Lethargy[unusually tired or inactive]8.6%72
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm[the product did not have the expected effect: heartworm]8.4%71
Diarrhoea[diarrhea]6.8%57
Emesis[vomiting]6.7%56
Lack of efficacy - NOS[the product did not have the expected effect]4.8%40
Seizure NOS[seizure, type not specified]4%34
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - hookworm[the product did not have the expected effect: hookworms]3.8%32
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea[the product did not have the expected effect: fleas]3.7%31
Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - Borrelia[the product did not have the expected effect: Borrelia (Lyme disease bacteria)]3.3%28
Anorexia[not eating]2.5%21
Ineffective, heartworm larvae[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (heartworm larvae)]2.5%21
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - tick NOS[the product did not have the expected effect: ticks]2.5%21
Death2.4%20
Pruritus[itching]2.4%20
Behavioural disorder NOS[behaviour change, type not specified]2.3%19
Death by euthanasia[the animal was euthanized]2.3%19
Decreased appetite2.1%18
Facial swelling2.1%18
Weight loss2%17
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT)[a liver enzyme above the normal range]1.9%16
Ataxia[unsteady, uncoordinated movement]1.8%15
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - NOS[the product did not have the expected effect: target not specified]1.8%15
Not eating1.8%15
Overdose[more than the labelled amount was given]1.8%15

Age and weight

Age of the animal

Under 1 year8.7%73

1 to 3 years31.4%264

4 to 7 years24.8%209

8 to 11 years18.9%159

12 years and over12.2%103

Age not given4%34

Weight of the animal

Under 5 kg (11 lb)0.6%5

5 to 9.9 kg (11–22 lb)2.6%22

10 to 24.9 kg (22–55 lb)36.9%311

25 to 44.9 kg (55–99 lb)46.9%395

45 kg and over (99 lb+)7.2%61

Weight not given5.7%48

Coloured bar: Shepherd reports. Grey bar: all dog reports.

Trend and outcomes

Reports by month FDA received them. The newest months are incomplete because FDA posts reports with a delay of three to six months.

Outcome recorded in the report

Recovered/Normal27%227

Recovered with Sequela2.5%21

Ongoing45.8%386

Died2.6%22

Euthanized2.4%20

Outcome Unknown19.6%165

Beside all dogs

Measure	Shepherd	All dogs
Reports	842	985,675
Latest 12 months	69	53,292
Classed serious, of reports stating it	34.9%	38.3%
Death or euthanasia recorded, per 1,000 reports	49.9	55

Questions about Shepherd reports

How many FDA adverse event reports involve Shepherds?

842 reports through March 2026, 0.1% of reports about dogs; 69 in the latest 12 months.

Which drugs are named most often in Shepherd reports?

By active ingredient: pyrantel pamoate + sarolaner (137), moxidectin (112), milbemycin oxime + spinosad (104), oclacitinib (77) and carprofen (61). Brands are masked in the public data.

What signs are reported most for this breed?

vomiting (15.9%), lethargy (8.6%), lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm (8.4%), diarrhoea (6.8%) and emesis (6.7%).

Is the Shepherd more sensitive to certain drugs?

Report counts cannot answer that. They show what was reported, not what a drug did, and they are not adjusted for how many Shepherd animals exist or were treated. Breed-related drug sensitivities that are established are described on FDA-approved labels; a veterinarian is the person to ask about an individual animal.

Why are crossbreds not included?

FDA records crossbred animals with one or more component breeds. Counting them under each component would double count, so breed pages use single-breed reports only. Crossbreds remain in the species totals.

How do I report a problem?

Call the drug company using the number on the label, or send Form FDA 1932a to FDA. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Animal & Veterinary adverse event bulk files released 28 Sep 2026, which hold reports FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine received through 31 Mar 2026. openFDA masks brand and manufacturer names in these files, so drugs are counted by the active ingredients each record discloses and no figure is attributed to a brand, application or company. Ingredient names, and the separate reference lists of approved products, follow the FDA Green Book as of 1 Oct 2026. Breed names are FDA's labels rearranged into everyday order ("Shepherd (unspecified)" becomes "Shepherd"). No report text, lot numbers or reporter details are published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.