Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Cannabidiol

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

134
adverse-event reports
3.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
29
Lack of efficacy - NOS - 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.
134
Total Reports
5
Deaths Reported
3.7%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Cannabidiol

Administration Routes

UnknownOralTopicalAuricular (Otic)Subcutaneous

Species Affected

Dog 128
Cat 4
Unknown 2

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 22
Shepherd Dog - German 10
Pit Bull 8
Retriever - Golden 7
Chihuahua 4
Unknown 4
Crossbred Canine/dog 4
Collie - Border 4
Collie (unspecified) 3
Bulldog 3

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy - NOS 29
Diarrhoea 27
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 16
Vomiting 15
Not eating 9
Seizure NOS 9
Behavioural disorder NOS 8
Panting 8
Weight loss 8
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 8
Leucocytosis NOS 6
Other abnormal test result NOS 6

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
52 (39.4%)
Outcome Unknown
52 (39.4%)
Recovered/Normal
23 (17.4%)
Euthanized
4 (3.0%)
Died
1 (0.8%)

Cannabidiol Adverse Event Insights

134 reports name Cannabidiol; 5 recorded a death outcome (3.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Cannabidiol. Administration routes: Unknown, Oral, Topical, Auricular (Otic).

By species: Dog (128 reports), Cat (4 reports), Unknown (2 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (22), Shepherd Dog - German (10), Pit Bull (8).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy - NOS (29), Diarrhoea (27), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (16), Vomiting (15). Outcome, 132 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 39.4%.

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.