December 2009: adverse event reports received

2,632 reports in the openFDA release of 28 Sep 2026

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.

2,632reports received

2,270same month a year earlier+16%

3,302monthly average, preceding 12 months

68.2%concern dogscats 11.6%

FDA's database holds 2,632 adverse event reports received in December 2009, against 2,270 in the same month a year earlier and a monthly average of 3,302 over the preceding 12 months.

68.2% of the month's reports concern dogs, 11.6% cats and 0.9% horses; the rest concern other species, exposed people, or give no species.

By active ingredient, the drugs named most often were ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate (388), spinosad (224) and insulin (196), and the terms listed most often were ineffective, heartworm larvae (379), vomiting (359) and depression (315). Report volume has a seasonal shape, with more reports in the warmer months when parasite products are in heavier use.

The months around it

Drugs named most often, by active ingredient

Active ingredients recorded for the drug	Reports	Share of the month's reports
Ivermectin + Pyrantel Pamoate	388	14.7%
Spinosad	224	8.5%
Insulin	196	7.4%
Milbemycin Oxime	193	7.3%
Selamectin	189	7.2%
Amoxicillin	124	4.7%
Carprofen	104	4%
Melarsomine Dihydrochloride	78	3%
Lufenuron + Milbemycin Oxime	77	2.9%
Cyclosporine	75	2.8%
Meloxicam	74	2.8%
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin	72	2.7%
Cefovecin sodium	46	1.7%
Dirlotapide	44	1.7%
Firocoxib	43	1.6%

Ordered by report count, which follows how widely each drug was in use. 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 most often

Ineffective, heartworm larvae[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (heartworm larvae)]14.4%379
Vomiting13.6%359
Depression[dull, quiet or withdrawn]12%315
Anorexia[not eating]9.1%240
Death5.2%137
Diarrhoea[diarrhea]5.2%136
Suspension, Abnormal[a product quality report, not a sign in an animal]4.5%119
Ineffective, ascarids NOS[legacy FDA term: the product did not have the expected effect (ascarids nos)]4.3%113
Color, Abnormal[a product quality report, not a sign in an animal]4.2%111
Accidental exposure[exposure that was not intended]3.8%101
Polydipsia[drinking more than usual]3.5%91
Convulsion[seizure]3.4%89
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - hookworm[the product did not have the expected effect: hookworms]3.3%87
Trembling2.6%68
Ataxia[unsteady, uncoordinated movement]2.5%67

Single ingredients, pooled

Ivermectin17.5%460

Pyrantel Pamoate17.2%452

Milbemycin Oxime10.3%270

Spinosad8.5%224

Insulin7.4%196

Selamectin7.2%189

Amoxicillin4.7%124

Carprofen4%104

Lufenuron3.3%87

Moxidectin3.2%83

Melarsomine Dihydrochloride3%78

Cyclosporine2.8%75

Species

Dog68.2%1,795

Cat11.6%305

Horse0.9%23

Other or not given19.3%509

Questions about December 2009

How many animal drug adverse event reports did FDA receive in December 2009?

2,632 reports are in the openFDA release of 28 Sep 2026. The same month a year earlier has 2,270.

Which drugs were named most often?

By active ingredient: ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate (388), spinosad (224), insulin (196), milbemycin oxime (193) and selamectin (189). Brands are masked in the public data.

Which signs were listed most often?

ineffective, heartworm larvae (379), vomiting (359), depression (315), anorexia (240) and death (137).

Can the count for a month still change?

Yes. FDA posts reports quarterly with a delay of three to six months, so the newest months are incomplete and usually grow in later releases. Older months change little.

Does a busy month mean something went wrong that month?

Not by itself. The date is when FDA received the report, not when the event happened, and volume follows season, product launches and publicity. FDA states that "there is no certainty that the reported drug or device caused the adverse event" and that the event "may have been related to an underlying disease, other drugs used at the same time or other non-drug related sources."

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. The month is the date FDA first received the report, not the date of the event. 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.