Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Desoxycortone Pivalate

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

512
adverse-event reports
3.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
161
High sodium-potassium ratio (Na:K ratio) - 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.
512
Total Reports
19
Deaths Reported
3.7%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Desoxycortone Pivalate

Administration Routes

SubcutaneousUnknownParenteralIntramuscularIntravenousSubconjunctivalOral

Species Affected

Dog 472
Unknown 32
Cat 6
Other 1
Human 1

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 55
Unknown 35
Dog (unknown) 30
Retriever - Golden 29
Chihuahua 25
Shepherd Dog - German 19
Pointing Dog - German Short-haired 17
American Pit Bull Terrier 15
Poodle - Standard 13
Maltese 12

Most Reported Reactions

High sodium-potassium ratio (Na:K ratio) 161
Polyuria 97
Polydipsia 93
Vomiting 72
Weight gain 58
Hypokalaemia 54
Diarrhoea 48
Immediate pain upon injection 46
Weight loss 45
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological) 44
Underdose 38
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 33

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
258 (53.8%)
Recovered/Normal
122 (25.4%)
Ongoing
78 (16.3%)
Euthanized
11 (2.3%)
Died
8 (1.7%)
Recovered with Sequela
3 (0.6%)

Desoxycortone Pivalate Adverse Event Insights

512 reports name Desoxycortone Pivalate; 19 recorded a death outcome (3.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Desoxycortone Pivalate. Administration routes: Subcutaneous, Unknown, Parenteral, Intramuscular.

By species: Dog (472 reports), Unknown (32 reports), Cat (6 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (55), Unknown (35), Dog (unknown) (30).

Leading clinical signs: High sodium-potassium ratio (Na:K ratio) (161), Polyuria (97), Polydipsia (93), Vomiting (72). Outcome, 480 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 53.8%.

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.