Pet Safety / Compounds / Dinotefuran

Is Dinotefuran safe for dogs and cats?

Low risk for pets

Dinotefuran is an active ingredient in Vectra 3D (dinotefuran + pyriproxyfen + permethrin) for dogs; the dinotefuran component contributes to flea and tick efficacy. At label doses, it is well-tolerated in dogs; the primary safety concern in Vectra 3D is the permethrin component (cat exposure hazard — product labeled for dogs only). Oral ingestion of the spot-on product by a dog (self-licking) may cause transient hypersalivation at the neonicotinoid dose but is generally self-limiting.

What is dinotefuran?

The IUPAC name is 2-methyl-1-nitro-3-(oxolan-3-ylmethyl)guanidine.

Also known as: 2-methyl-1-nitro-3-(oxolan-3-ylmethyl)guanidine, MTI-446, Albarin, Mikeblock.

IUPAC name
2-methyl-1-nitro-3-(oxolan-3-ylmethyl)guanidine
CAS number
165252-70-0
Molecular formula
C7H14N4O3
Molecular weight
202.21 g/mol
SMILES
CN=C(NCC1CCOC1)N[N+](=O)[O-]
PubChem CID
197701

Risk for dogs

Low risk

Dinotefuran is an active ingredient in Vectra 3D (dinotefuran + pyriproxyfen + permethrin) for dogs; the dinotefuran component contributes to flea and tick efficacy. At label doses, it is well-tolerated in dogs; the primary safety concern in Vectra 3D is the permethrin component (cat exposure hazard — product labeled for dogs only). Oral ingestion of the spot-on product by a dog (self-licking) may cause transient hypersalivation at the neonicotinoid dose but is generally self-limiting.

Risk for cats

Low risk

Dinotefuran itself has low mammalian toxicity and no specific cat sensitivity beyond the class; the cat hazard in Vectra 3D comes from the permethrin component, not dinotefuran. A cat-specific dinotefuran-only spot-on product (Vectra for Cats, containing dinotefuran + pyriproxyfen without permethrin) is registered for cats in some markets, with an acceptable safety profile.

Regulatory consensus

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

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
EPA CTX / EPA OPP—Not Likely to Be Carcinogenic in Humans
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 5 negative reports)
EPA CTX / Genetox—Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 0 positive / 5 negative reports)

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 dinotefuran

  • 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 Dinotefuran:

  • 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 dinotefuran safe for pets?

Dinotefuran is an active ingredient in Vectra 3D (dinotefuran + pyriproxyfen + permethrin) for dogs; the dinotefuran component contributes to flea and tick efficacy. At label doses, it is well-tolerated in dogs; the primary safety concern in Vectra 3D is the permethrin component (cat exposure hazard — product labeled for dogs only). Oral ingestion of the spot-on product by a dog (self-licking) may cause transient hypersalivation at the neonicotinoid dose but is generally self-limiting.

What products contain dinotefuran?

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

Why do regulators disagree about dinotefuran?

Dinotefuran has been classified by 3 agencies including EPA CTX / EPA OPP, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, 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 Dinotefuran in the pets app

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

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Sources (2)
  1. US EPA: Neonicotinoid Registration Review — imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, dinotefuran; bee risk assessment; sublethal effects; colony-level modeling; pollinator exposure through pollen and nectar; aquatic invertebrate toxicity; registration review decision (2020) (2020) — regulatory
  2. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Neonicotinoid Insecticide Toxicosis — imidacloprid, nitenpyram, dinotefuran; pet product safety (Advantage, Capstar, Vectra); nAChR mechanism; mammalian vs. insect selectivity; clinical signs and management (2023) (2023) — veterinary

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 →