Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Canine Distemper Vaccine

45 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Canine Distemper Vaccine. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

45
adverse-event reports
13.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
20
Vomiting - 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.
45
Total Reports
6
Deaths Reported
13.3%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Canine Distemper Vaccine

Administration Routes

UnknownSubcutaneousOral

Species Affected

Dog 45

Most Affected Breeds

Chihuahua 3
Bulldog - French 3
Retriever - Golden 2
Bichon Frise 2
Shepherd Dog - German 2
Terrier (unspecified) 2
Retriever - Labrador 2
Beagle 2
Shepherd Dog - Australian 2
Poodle - Standard 2

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 20
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 10
Diarrhoea 7
Anorexia 5
Seizure NOS 4
Other abnormal test result NOS 4
Death 3
Death by euthanasia 3
Behavioural disorder NOS 3
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 3
Decreased appetite 3
Bloody diarrhoea 3

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
18 (40.0%)
Recovered/Normal
12 (26.7%)
Outcome Unknown
9 (20.0%)
Euthanized
3 (6.7%)
Died
3 (6.7%)

Canine Distemper Vaccine Adverse Event Insights

45 reports name Canine Distemper Vaccine; 6 recorded a death outcome (13.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Canine Distemper Vaccine. Administration routes: Unknown, Subcutaneous, Oral.

By species: Dog (45 reports). By breed: Chihuahua (3), Bulldog - French (3), Retriever - Golden (2).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (20), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (10), Diarrhoea (7), Anorexia (5). Outcome, 45 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 40.0%.

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.