Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Bupivacaine Hcl

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

79
adverse-event reports
27.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
15
Other abnormal test result 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.
79
Total Reports
22
Deaths Reported
27.8%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Bupivacaine Hcl

Administration Routes

UnknownSubcutaneousEpiduralOtherAuricular (Otic)Intradermal

Species Affected

Dog 44
Cat 34
Horse 1

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 21
Retriever - Labrador 5
Chihuahua 4
Terrier - Bull - American Pit 4
Poodle (unspecified) 3
Cat (unknown) 3
Domestic Mediumhair 3
Dog (unknown) 2
Spaniel (unspecified) 2
Siberian Husky 2

Most Reported Reactions

Other abnormal test result NOS 15
Anorexia 15
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 12
Vomiting 12
Death 12
Death by euthanasia 9
Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) 9
Cardiac arrest 8
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 7
Weight loss 6
Elevated total bilirubin 6
Anaphylaxis 6

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
35 (43.8%)
Recovered/Normal
21 (26.3%)
Died
13 (16.3%)
Euthanized
9 (11.3%)
Outcome Unknown
2 (2.5%)

Bupivacaine Hcl Adverse Event Insights

79 reports name Bupivacaine Hcl; 22 recorded a death outcome (27.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Bupivacaine Hcl. Administration routes: Unknown, Subcutaneous, Epidural, Other.

By species: Dog (44 reports), Cat (34 reports), Horse (1 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (21), Retriever - Labrador (5), Chihuahua (4).

Leading clinical signs: Other abnormal test result NOS (15), Anorexia (15), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (12), Vomiting (12). Outcome, 80 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 43.8%.

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.