Pet Safety / Compounds / Amitraz

Is Amitraz safe for dogs and cats?

Moderate risk for pets

Amitraz is used in dogs as tick repellent/acaricide via impregnated collars (Preventic) and as a dip (Mitaban) for generalized demodicosis. At intended therapeutic use in dogs, the primary side effects are transient sedation and CNS depression due to alpha-2 agonism, with concurrent bradycardia and hypotension. Clinically significant toxicosis in dogs occurs from inappropriate use (dip concentration errors, overdose, ingestion of collar material), producing ataxia, profound sedation, hypothermia, bradycardia, hyperglycemia (alpha-2 inhibition of insulin release), ileus, and respiratory depression. Dogs with MDR1/ABCB1 mutation (collie-type breeds) may be more sensitive. Ingestion of tick collars by dogs causes GI obstruction risk in addition to toxicity. The antidote atipamezole or yohimbine rapidly reverses alpha-2 mediated effects. Amitraz is also used in livestock (cattle, sheep, swine) as a tick dip; dogs accessing livestock dip solution or recently treated animals represent an exposure risk.

What is amitraz?

The IUPAC name is N'-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)iminomethyl]-N-methylmethanimidamide.

Also known as: N'-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)iminomethyl]-N-methylmethanimidamide, Mitac, Triazid, Acarac.

IUPAC name: N'-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-N-[(2,4-dimethylphenyl)iminomethyl]-N-methylmethanimidamide
CAS number: 33089-61-1
Molecular formula: C19H23N3
Molecular weight: 293.4 g/mol
SMILES: CC1=CC(=C(C=C1)N=CN(C)C=NC2=C(C=C(C=C2)C)C)C
PubChem CID: 36324

Risk for dogs

Moderate risk

Risk for cats

Extreme risk

Amitraz is a formamidine alpha-2 adrenergic agonist antiparasitic agent that is absolutely contraindicated in cats. Cats are acutely and severely sensitive to amitraz because they have significantly lower monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity than dogs and are unable to adequately detoxify amitraz and its metabolites, which accumulate and produce overwhelming alpha-2 adrenergic stimulation. Exposure to even small amounts of amitraz — including contact with amitraz-impregnated dog collars (Preventic), grooming a dog recently treated with an amitraz dip, or accidental application of a dog product — causes rapidly progressive toxicosis in cats: profound CNS depression and sedation, hypothermia, bradycardia, hypotension, respiratory depression, ataxia, mydriasis, vomiting, polyuria, and seizures. Deaths have been reported from what appeared to be minor incidental contact. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center lists amitraz as one of the most dangerous drugs for cats, with a zero-margin threshold — no safe dose exists for feline use. The alpha-2 antagonist atipamezole (Antisedan) is the antidote for amitraz toxicosis; yohimbine is an alternative. All amitraz-containing dog products (Preventic collars, Mitaban dip, tick treatments) carry explicit contraindications for cat exposure.

Regulatory consensus

6 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Amitraz. The classifications differ — that's the data.

Agency	Year	Classification
EPA CTX / EPA OPP	—	Group C Possible Human Carcinogen
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Sensitization: Skin Sens. 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Eye Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Irritation: Not classified (score: low)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Sensitization: Category 1 (score: high)
EPA CTX / Skin-Eye	—	Skin Sensitization: Category 6.5B (Category 1) (score: moderate)

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where pets encounter amitraz

Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Amitraz:

Physical/mechanical pest control (IPM)
Trade-offs: More labor-intensive. May not be sufficient for severe infestations.

Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

Is amitraz safe for pets?

What products contain amitraz?

Amitraz appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

Why do regulators disagree about amitraz?

Amitraz has been classified by 6 agencies including EPA CTX / EPA OPP, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, EPA CTX / Skin-Eye, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.

See Amitraz in the pets app

Look up products containing amitraz, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

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Sources (2)

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Amitraz Toxicosis in Dogs and Cats — Alpha-2 Adrenergic Mechanism, Feline Absolute Contraindication, Atipamezole/Yohimbine Reversal, and Preventic Collar Exposure Case Reports (2022) (2022) — veterinary
US FDA/CVM: Amitraz (Preventic Tick Collar, Mitaban Dip) — Approved Canine Uses, Feline and Rabbit Contraindication, Pediatric Safety Warning for Dog Collar Ingestion, and Atipamezole Antidote (2018) (2018) — regulatory

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →