Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Chlorhexidine Gluconate

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

64
adverse-event reports
9.4%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
17
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.
64
Total Reports
6
Deaths Reported
9.4%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Chlorhexidine Gluconate

Administration Routes

TopicalUnknownAuricular (Otic)OralCutaneous

Species Affected

Dog 51
Cat 13

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 10
Retriever - Labrador 5
Retriever - Golden 4
Bulldog 4
Shih Tzu 3
Maltese 3
Schnauzer - Miniature 3
Siamese 2
Boxer (German Boxer) 2
Saint Bernard Dog 2

Most Reported Reactions

Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 17
Vomiting 7
Lack of efficacy - NOS 7
Anorexia 7
Diarrhoea 6
Behavioural disorder NOS 5
Other abnormal test result NOS 4
INEFFECTIVE, ATOPY CONTROL 4
Decreased appetite 4
Not eating 4
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological) 4
Ataxia 3

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
29 (45.3%)
Recovered/Normal
16 (25.0%)
Outcome Unknown
11 (17.2%)
Died
4 (6.3%)
Recovered with Sequela
2 (3.1%)
Euthanized
2 (3.1%)

Chlorhexidine Gluconate Adverse Event Insights

64 reports name Chlorhexidine Gluconate; 6 recorded a death outcome (9.4% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Chlorhexidine Gluconate. Administration routes: Topical, Unknown, Auricular (Otic), Oral.

By species: Dog (51 reports), Cat (13 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (10), Retriever - Labrador (5), Retriever - Golden (4).

Leading clinical signs: Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (17), Vomiting (7), Lack of efficacy - NOS (7), Anorexia (7). Outcome, 64 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 45.3%.

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.