Skip to main content
          Skip to FDA Search
          Skip to in this section menu
          Skip to footer links


U.S. flagAn official website of the United States government

					Here’s how you know
          			Dot gov**The .gov means it’s official.**Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.
							      SSL**The site is secure.** The **https://** ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. 
			U.S. Food and Drug Administration
				
        Search
            Menu
							
						Search FDA
									
									Submit search 
		Featured
							Contact FDA
	                FDA Guidance Documents
	                Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts
	                Press Announcements
	                Warning Letters
	                Advisory Committees
	                En Español

					Products
            Food
							Drugs
							Medical Devices
							Radiation-Emitting Products
							Vaccines, Blood, and Biologics
							Animal and Veterinary
							Cosmetics
							Tobacco ProductsTopics
            About FDA
							Combination Products
							Regulatory Information
							Safety
							Emergency Preparedness
							International Programs
							News and Events
							Training and Continuing Education
							Inspections and Compliance
							Science and ResearchInformation For
            Consumers
	            Patients
	            Industry
	            Health Professionals
	            Federal, State and Local Officials 
 In this section:

                Unapproved Animal Drugs

Unapproved Animal Drugs

                        FDA’s Concerns about Unapproved Animal Drugs
          Animal Drugs Marketed as Animal Devices
          Generic Animal Drugs:  Approved or Unapproved?
          Information for Veterinarians
          Regulatory Actions


                        Animal Drug Compounding Home
          Animal & Veterinary
          Compliance & Enforcement
          Unapproved Animal Drugs
          How can I tell if a flea and tick product is approved by FDA as an animal drug or registered by EPA as a pesticide?Unapproved Animal Drugs How can I tell if a flea and tick product is approved by FDA as an animal drug or registered by EPA as a pesticide?
  
  	
    Share
    Post
    Linkedin

    Email
    PrintEspañol

If you’re a small animal veterinarian, you commonly prescribe flea and tick products for your patients. FDA approves some flea and tick products as animal drugs while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers others as pesticides. You can identify the regulating agency by looking at the product’s label.

An FDA-approved flea and tick product has a six-digit New Animal Drug Application (NADA) or Abbreviated New Animal Drug Application (ANADA) number on the label as part of the following statement: “Approved by FDA under NADA # XXX-XXX” or “Approved by FDA under ANADA # XXX-XXX.”  If you have a question about the product’s approval status, you can follow the tips on how to tell if a drug is legally marketed for animals.

An EPA-registered flea and tick product has an EPA Registration Number (sometimes written as “EPA Reg. No.”) on the label. Another way to determine if a product is registered by EPA is to check EPA’s Pesticide Product and Label System. This system allows you to search using several parameters, including EPA Registration Number, brand name of the product, and company name.

More information from EPA about protecting pets from fleas and ticks.

Unfortunately, counterfeit pet pesticides are a problem in the U.S. Counterfeit flea and tick products are illegally packaged to look like legitimate EPA-registered pet pesticides.

More information from EPA about how to avoid counterfeit pesticide products for dogs and cats.

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      10/17/2023Unapproved Animal Drugs

          
                        FDA’s Concerns about Unapproved Animal Drugs
          Animal Drugs Marketed as Animal Devices
          Generic Animal Drugs:  Approved or Unapproved?
          Information for Veterinarians
          Regulatory Actions


                        Animal Drug Compounding
 
 Footer Links
    FDA Archive
          About FDA
          Accessibility
      Visitor Information
          Website Policies / Privacy
          No FEAR Act
          Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
      FOIA
          HHS.gov
          USA.gov
    Contact FDA
      Follow FDA on Facebook
      Follow FDA on X
      Follow FDA on Instagram
      Follow FDA on LinkedIn
      View FDA videos on YouTube
      Subscribe to FDA RSS feeds
    FDA Homepage
    Contact Number
      1-888-INFO-FDA (1-888-463-6332) Back toTop