Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo
  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

    rewards header
    Become a member today!
    Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
    Petco Pay LogoBecome a credit card member today!

    Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
    when you use Petco Pay!

    APPLY NOW
    Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Dog panting and drinking after topical flea treatment. Is it serious?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Female | unspayed | 7 years old | 100 lbs

I used the hertz ultra triple action drops for ticks, fleas, and mosquitos 24 hours ago. She has been panting alot and drinking alot of water today. I looked up reviews on this product and seen some horrible things that have happened to people's pets on there. Mostly to cats though but some dogs. I gave her some benadryl tonight and it settled her down and is sleeping. Do i need to worry about this?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 6th, 2018

Poor girl. Panting and drinking a lot of water can indicate that she is having a hypersensitivity reaction to the product. Although this product is considred safe for pets, it has been known to have more side effects than some other products on the market. If she is settled now then that is a good sign that she may be recovering from this. The Benadryl should help her with her mild reaction. Continue to monitor Legend for any signs of a serious problem which includes: excessive vomiting, continuous panting for more than 30 mins or so, severe lethargy (unresponsiveness, etc), lack of appetite, or pale gums. If seen then Legend needs to see your local vet (or ER vet) right away for treatment.
I hope that Legend continues to improve with the Benadryl, and I would definitely recommend avoiding this medication in the future. There are safer products out there such as Nexgard, Bravecto, Simparica or Advantage. Best wishes moving forward with Legend. Take care!
Vote Icon1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share

Styled arrow button