Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Bismuth Subnitrate

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

35
adverse-event reports
40.0%
death-coded share
Cattle
most-reported species
16
Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS - top reaction
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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
14
Deaths Reported
40.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Bismuth Subnitrate

Administration Routes

UnknownIntramammary

Species Affected

Cattle 29
Unknown 6

Most Affected Breeds

Cattle (other) 16
Unknown 6
Holstein-Friesian also known as Holstein 6
Jersey 5
Crossbred Bovine/Cattle 1
Mixed (Cattle) 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS 16
Death 9
Lack of efficacy - NOS 7
Product Defect, General 3
Abortion 3
Device Defective NOS 3
CULTURE/TITER DATA ABNORMAL 2
Diarrhoea 2
Downer animal 2
Mastitis NOS 2
Digestive tract disorder NOS 2
Urticaria 1

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
18 (45.0%)
Died
12 (30.0%)
Ongoing
4 (10.0%)
Recovered/Normal
3 (7.5%)
Euthanized
2 (5.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (2.5%)

Bismuth Subnitrate Adverse Event Insights

35 reports name Bismuth Subnitrate; 14 recorded a death outcome (40.0% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Bismuth Subnitrate. Administration routes: Unknown, Intramammary.

By species: Cattle (29 reports), Unknown (6 reports). By breed: Cattle (other) (16), Unknown (6), Holstein-Friesian also known as Holstein (6).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS (16), Death (9), Lack of efficacy - NOS (7), Product Defect, General (3). Outcome, 40 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 45.0%.

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.