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Breed profile · FDA CVM July 2026 extract

Chihuahua adverse-event record

Adverse-event filings for Chihuahua (Dog) in the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA extract. Browse dog breeds, reactions, and outcomes below.

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#7 of 510
by report volume (all breeds)
31,521
FDA CVM reports on file
4.2%
death-coded share of reports
#171 of 275
by death-coded share (≥50 reports)

How the 31,521 reports break down

By recorded gender -- every report on file for Chihuahua, no filtering.

Annual report volume

Annual adverse-event report trend Yearly FDA CVM adverse-event report counts for this breed. 2,109 1,581.75 1,054.5 527.25 0 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 Reports filed Death-coded reports
Annual report volume for Chihuahua drawn from FDA CVM filings.

Data updated September 2026

The verdict

According to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA adverse-event extract, Chihuahua ranks #7 of 510 by total reports (31,521) and #171 of 275 by death-coded share (4.2%). National dual: Retriever - Labrador is #1 of 510 by total adverse-event reports (93,675) at death-coded-share rank 195 of 275 breeds with at least 50 reports (3.7%); separately, Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) is #1 highest death-coded share at 99.0% (report rank #233).

93,675
Retriever - Labrador reports (#1)
99.0%
Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) death share (#1)
#7
This breed, reports of 510
#171
This breed, death share of 275

Report volume reflects how common a breed or drug is and how often owners and vets file — not actual risk. Death-coded share ranks are limited to entries with enough reports to be meaningful. The two maps do not agree at #1.

Release-over-release change

What changed in the latest FDA data snapshot

PlainBreed reconstructed the prior snapshot from dated openFDA partitions through 2025 Q4, then compared it with the 2026-07-27 openFDA export. Chihuahua has 31,521 reports now versus 31,166 in that prior snapshot: 355 more (1.1%).

Report change
+355
Death-coded reports
+18
Death-coded share
+0.0 pts

This compares reported-event counts in two source snapshots. It does not establish a change in real-world risk, product safety, or disease incidence.

Subscribe to Chihuahua changes

Total Reports

31,521

Highest-reported breed

Deaths Reported

1,329

of 31,521 reports

Death-coded share of reports

4.2%

Below-median death-coded share

Avg Age at Report

5.9 yr

4.8 kg avg weight

Breed Safety Scorecard

B- (68/100)

A weighted composite across 4 of 4 dimensions, each benchmarked against every tracked breed with at least 200 reports (n=185). Dimensions with insufficient data drop out and their weight redistributes to the rest, so a missing input never silently deflates the score.

Death rate C
4.2%

Share of reports coded as a fatality

Euthanasia rate A-
1.4%

Share of reports resulting in euthanasia

Full recovery rate B
33.7%

Share of reports coded "Recovered/Normal"

5-year trend C+
-5%

Change in annual report volume over the last 5 complete years

Death-Coded Outcome Share

Chihuahua death-coded reports 4.2%
Cross-breed median

4.2% of 31,521 chihuahua reports involved a death outcome.

How to read this number

Read alongside breed popularity, veterinary access, and owner awareness, these shape how many events ever reach the FDA. The comparison line marks the cross-breed median death-coded share (4.8%) among breeds with 50 or more reports; values above it suggest higher reporting bias toward severe outcomes, not necessarily higher true mortality.

Where Chihuahua's death-coded share sits among indexed breeds

Death-coded share of FDA CVM reports, breeds with ≥50 reports (July 2026 extract)

4% 38th percentile Higher share than 38% of 275 indexed breeds

5%–10%: 1 indexed breeds (0%). This entry sits in this band. 20%–25%: 2 indexed breeds (1%). Above this entry. 25%–30%: 3 indexed breeds (1%). Above this entry. 30%–35%: 4 indexed breeds (1%). Above this entry. 35%–40%: 5 indexed breeds (2%). Above this entry. 40%–45%: 6 indexed breeds (2%). Above this entry. 45%–50%: 3 indexed breeds (1%). Above this entry. 50%–55%: 7 indexed breeds (3%). Above this entry. 55%–60%: 7 indexed breeds (3%). Above this entry. 60%–65%: 21 indexed breeds (8%). Above this entry. 65%–70%: 11 indexed breeds (4%). Above this entry. 70%–75%: 15 indexed breeds (5%). Above this entry. 75%–80%: 13 indexed breeds (5%). Above this entry. 80%–85%: 11 indexed breeds (4%). Above this entry. 85%–90%: 12 indexed breeds (4%). Above this entry. 90%–95%: 12 indexed breeds (4%). Above this entry. 95%–100%: 142 indexed breeds (52%). Above this entry. Chihuahua 5% 100% every breed with ≥50 FDA reports, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more indexed breeds. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, openFDA adverse event extract (PlainBreed) · July 2026 extract

This histogram uses the same ≥50-report cohort as the highest death-coded share ranking. A higher share means more of this breed's reported events were death-coded, not a mortality rate for living animals.

Chihuahua among report-volume vs. death-rate peers

Every breed shown has at least 50 filed reports. Volume reflects how often a breed is reported, not how common it is; death rate is the share of a breed's own reports coded as a death outcome.

Source: FDA openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events database 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 30 entities by Total Reports (X) and Death Rate (%) (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. High volume, high death rateLow volume, high death rateHigh volume, low death rateLow volume, low death rate 020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000 0%5%10%15% Total Reports Death Rate (%) Chihuahua vs. all breeds, report volume and death-coded share Retriever - Labrador-93675, 3.7%Crossbred Canine/dog-70591, 3.2%Domestic Shorthair-65226, 7.2%Dog (unknown)-48820, 8.8%Retriever - Golden-35980, 3.7%Shepherd Dog - German-32220, 4.4%Chihuahua-31521, 4.2%Terrier - Yorkshire-24924, 3.7%Shih Tzu-24405, 3.6%Boxer (German Boxer)-19405, 4.4%Beagle-17970, 3.6%Pit Bull-17865, 3.1%Shepherd Dog - Australian-16274, 3.7%Terrier (unspecified)-14058, 3.1%Maltese-13940, 3.2%Dachshund (unspecified)-13512, 4.6%Cat (unknown)-13248, 9.3%Terrier - Jack Russell-10423, 3.7%Collie - Border-10130, 4.3%Siberian Husky-9811, 4.5%Domestic Longhair-9615, 7%Pug-9224, 5.2%Spitz - German Pomeranian-9086, 4.9%Terrier - Bull - American Pit-8769, 4.7%Cattle Dog - Australian (blue heeler, red heeler, Queensland cattledog)-7871, 3.6%Terrier - Boston-7737, 4.5%Spaniel - Cocker American-7640, 4%Domestic (unspecified)-7576, 13.4%Poodle (unspecified)-7534, 3.4%Schnauzer - Miniature-7513, 4.4%
Source: FDA openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events database
Average weight at time of report: 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs)

Top Reported Reactions

Vomiting 6,846
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 3,824
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 3,541
Emesis 2,883
Diarrhoea 2,203
Seizure NOS 1,625
Lack of efficacy - NOS 1,465
Anorexia 1,306
Lack of efficacy (endoparasite) - heartworm 1,143
Behavioural disorder NOS 973
Shaking 968
Ataxia 900
Not eating 870
Emesis (multiple) 845
Pruritus 837

Most Referenced Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 6,100
Spinosad 3,541
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 2,000
Afoxolaner 1,896
Moxidectin 1,765
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 1,533
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 1,351
Nitenpyram 1,089
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 996
Sarolaner 777
Trilostane 761
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 761
Oclacitinib Maleate 726
Selamectin 661
Imidacloprid + Moxidectin 610

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
10,631 (35.8%)
Outcome Unknown
9,523 (32.1%)
Ongoing
7,112 (24.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
1,071 (3.6%)
Died
884 (3.0%)
Euthanized
445 (1.5%)

Gender Distribution

Female 16,253 (51.6%)
Male 14,304 (45.4%)
Unknown 851 (2.7%)
Mixed 113 (0.4%)

Reports by Year

Year Reports Trend
2010 991
2011 1,458
2012 2,165
2013 2,224
2014 2,323
2015 2,433
2016 2,298
2017 2,455
2018 2,127
2019 2,109
2020 1,957
2021 1,817
2022 1,691
2023 1,664
2024 1,827
2025 1,734
2026 248

Chihuahua: high-volume FDA adverse-event cohort

Signature read: 31,521 reports place Chihuahua in the upper third of breed filing volume (#7 of 510). According to FDA CVM filings indexed on PlainBreed as of July 2026 extract, Chihuahua sits at #7 of 510 by report volume among all breeds and #6 of 298 among dog breeds, with 31,521 reports and 1,329 (4.2%) death-coded. On death-coded share among breeds with ≥50 reports, it ranks #171 of 275. Mean age at report: 5.9 years, average weight 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs).

Top reported signs: Vomiting (6,846), Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (3,824), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (3,541). Most-referenced drug: Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (6,100 reports), followed by Spinosad (3,541) and Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt (2,000).

Outcome coding on 29,666 status-recorded reports is dominated by Recovered/Normal (35.8%). Annual submissions ranged 248-2,026 across 17 years on file.

Chihuahua Reporting Concentration Profile

Chihuahua is a high-volume FDA CVM cohort (31,521 reports) - enough filings to measure how concentrated the reaction and drug mix is, not just the headline totals. Across 20 named reaction terms in the stored top list, the leading three (Vomiting, Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea, Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological')) account for 42.0% of listed reaction mentions. The Herfindahl index on that list is 0.090 (1.0 = a single reaction owns every mention; lower = a broader clinical mix).

On the drug side, 20 referenced products appear in the top list; the leading three (Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad, Spinosad, Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt) cover 43.2% of those mentions. That multi-product footprint is the profile thin-report breeds cannot show - their pages stop at a short bar list because the sample cannot support a concentration read.

Outcome coding on 29,666 status-recorded filings splits roughly 4.5% severe (died or euthanized - 1,329 reports) versus 39.4% recovered or recovered-with-sequela (11,702). Read that split next to the 4.2% death-coded share above - both track reporting severity bias in a popular breed, not a proven mortality rate.

Peak filing year was 2017 (2,455 reports); the lightest year on file was 2026 (248). From 2024 to 2025, annual volume fell 5.1% (1,827 → 1,734). Year-to-year swings at this volume usually track product launches, owner awareness, and reporting campaigns more than sudden breed-health shocks.

Dog Breeds With a Similar Report Volume

Showing 6 of 297 dog breeds in our dataset, ranked by closest report volume.

Shepherd Dog - German
32,220 reports · 4.4% death-coded
Retriever - Golden
35,980 reports · 3.7% death-coded
Terrier - Yorkshire
24,924 reports · 3.7% death-coded
Shih Tzu
24,405 reports · 3.6% death-coded
Boxer (German Boxer)
19,405 reports · 4.4% death-coded
Beagle
17,970 reports · 3.6% death-coded

Nationwide breeds with similar profiles

High-volume peer sets for Chihuahua drawn from openFDA outside the Dog family so the neighborhoods are not species containment (the similar-volume list above stays within species).

Similar death-coded share

Nearest other-species breeds with ≥50 reports (4.2% death-coded here).

Siberian 4.2% · Cat Bengal 4.6% · Cat British cat 3.8% · Cat Scottish Fold Longhair 4.8% · Cat

Similar average weight

Nearest other-species breeds by reported average weight (4.8 kg here).

Domestic (unspecified) 4.8 kg · Cat Domestic Mediumhair 4.8 kg · Cat Siamese 4.8 kg · Cat Ragdoll 4.8 kg · Cat

What to do with this dog

A report does not prove a drug caused the reaction, and popular breeds simply generate more reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many FDA adverse event reports involve Chihuahua? ▼
There are 31,521 adverse event reports involving Chihuahua in the FDA database, of which 1,329 were death-coded (4.2% of those reports). That is a share of REPORTED events, not a mortality rate for the breed: adverse events reach the FDA when something goes wrong, so the denominator is reports, never the population of animals. According to the same FDA CVM extract, Chihuahua ranks #7 of 510 by report volume among all breeds PlainBreed indexes (#6 of 298 among dog breeds).
Where does Chihuahua sit among other breeds in PlainBreed's corpus? ▼
According to FDA CVM report volume, Chihuahua is #7 of 510 breeds indexed on PlainBreed (same ordering as the most-reported-breeds ranking). Inside Dog, it is #6 of 298. Among breeds with at least 50 reports, its death-coded share ranks #171 of 275 (same cohort as highest-death-rate). These are placement ranks in the reporting corpus, not clinical risk scores.
What are the most common adverse reactions reported for Chihuahua? ▼
The most commonly reported adverse reactions for Chihuahua are Vomiting (6,846 reports), Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea (3,824 reports), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (3,541 reports), Emesis (2,883 reports), Diarrhoea (2,203 reports).
What drugs are most frequently associated with Chihuahua adverse events? ▼
The drugs most frequently referenced in Chihuahua adverse event reports are Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (6,100 reports), Spinosad (3,541 reports), Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt (2,000 reports), Afoxolaner (1,896 reports), Moxidectin (1,765 reports).
What is the average age of Chihuahua in adverse event reports? ▼
The average age of Chihuahua at the time of adverse event reports is 5.9 years, with an average weight of 4.8 kg (10.6 lbs).

Compare a breed's report volume against how common the breed is before drawing conclusions. See our methodology for how the death-coded share and rankings are computed, or read breed-specific reporting patterns and FDA CVM reporting.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events (CVM AER) · 2025

openFDA Animal & Veterinary Adverse Events (FDA CVM) for Chihuahua (Dog), extract as of July 2026 extract. 31,521 reports · 1,329 death-coded (4.2% of reports, not a mortality rate) · #7 of 510 by volume.

Informational only. FDA adverse-event reports are voluntary and do not prove causation; consult a veterinarian before acting on them. Verify with FDA CVM →