Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Chlorhexidine Shampoo

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

60
adverse-event reports
6.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
9
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.
60
Total Reports
4
Deaths Reported
6.7%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Chlorhexidine Shampoo

Administration Routes

TopicalUnknownOralImmersionCutaneous

Species Affected

Dog 55
Cat 5

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 6
Shih Tzu 6
Domestic Shorthair 4
American Pit Bull Terrier 4
Deutsche Dogge, Great Dane 4
Schnauzer - Miniature 3
Terrier - Yorkshire 2
Pit Bull 2
Spaniel - King Charles Cavalier 2
Shepherd Dog - German 2

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 9
Emesis 7
Pruritus 7
Bacterial skin infection NOS 7
Lack of efficacy (ectoparasite) - flea 7
Hair loss NOS 5
Weight loss 5
Other abnormal test result NOS 5
Skin disorders NOS 5
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 5
Polydipsia 5
Scratching 5

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
21 (35.0%)
Ongoing
17 (28.3%)
Outcome Unknown
16 (26.7%)
Euthanized
3 (5.0%)
Recovered with Sequela
2 (3.3%)
Died
1 (1.7%)

Chlorhexidine Shampoo Adverse Event Insights

60 reports name Chlorhexidine Shampoo; 4 recorded a death outcome (6.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Chlorhexidine Shampoo. Administration routes: Topical, Unknown, Oral, Immersion.

By species: Dog (55 reports), Cat (5 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (6), Shih Tzu (6), Domestic Shorthair (4).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (9), Emesis (7), Pruritus (7), Bacterial skin infection NOS (7). Outcome, 60 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 35.0%.

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.