Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Anesthetics

35 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Anesthetics. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

35
adverse-event reports
37.1%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
8
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') - top reaction
Verify with FDA CVM →
Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
35
Total Reports
13
Deaths Reported
37.1%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Anesthetics

Administration Routes

UnknownIntramuscularTopical

Species Affected

Dog 20
Cat 15

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 11
Cat (unknown) 2
Siberian Husky 2
Shih Tzu 2
Persian 1
Retriever - Labrador 1
Dog (other) 1
Spaniel - Cocker American 1
Dog (unknown) 1
Poodle - Toy 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 8
Diarrhoea 7
Death by euthanasia 7
Anorexia 7
Death 6
Other abnormal test result NOS 6
Elevated total bilirubin 4
Emesis 4
Vomiting 3
Cough 3
Weight loss 3
Hyperphosphataemia 3

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
9 (25.7%)
Recovered/Normal
7 (20.0%)
Euthanized
7 (20.0%)
Died
6 (17.1%)
Outcome Unknown
6 (17.1%)

Anesthetics Adverse Event Insights

35 reports name Anesthetics; 13 recorded a death outcome (37.1% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Anesthetics. Administration routes: Unknown, Intramuscular, Topical.

By species: Dog (20 reports), Cat (15 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (11), Cat (unknown) (2), Siberian Husky (2).

Leading clinical signs: Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (8), Diarrhoea (7), Death by euthanasia (7), Anorexia (7). Outcome, 35 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 25.7%.

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, a widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw FDA reports in a given year than a rarely-used one at an identical true rate, so we recommend comparing within similar-exposure products rather than across the full 2025 catalog.

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

Every figure on PlainBreed is rendered directly from FDA openFDA adverse event data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on FDA openFDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.