Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Detomidine

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

160
adverse-event reports
6.9%
death-coded share
Horse
most-reported species
32
INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION - 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.
160
Total Reports
11
Deaths Reported
6.9%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Detomidine

Administration Routes

IntravenousUnknownSublingualPeriodontalOralIntramuscularTopicalSubcutaneousIntra-Arterial

Species Affected

Horse 136
Unknown 8
Dog 7
Human 5
Donkey 3
Cat 1

Most Affected Breeds

Horse (unknown) 34
Quarter Horse 33
Unknown 13
Thoroughbred 10
Arab 7
Paint 6
Horse (other) 5
Tennessee Walking Horse 5
Mixed (Horse) 4
Crossbred Equine/horse 4

Most Reported Reactions

INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION 32
Sedation prolonged 19
Tachypnoea 15
Accidental exposure 13
Ataxia 12
Tachycardia 11
Recumbency 10
Lack of efficacy - NOS 8
Bradycardia 8
Elevated creatinine 8
Collapse (see also 'Cardio-vascular' and 'Systemic disorders') 8
Hyperhidrosis 7

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
38 (54.3%)
Outcome Unknown
17 (24.3%)
Euthanized
6 (8.6%)
Died
5 (7.1%)
Ongoing
3 (4.3%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (1.4%)

Detomidine Adverse Event Insights

160 reports name Detomidine; 11 recorded a death outcome (6.9% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Detomidine. Administration routes: Intravenous, Unknown, Sublingual, Periodontal.

By species: Horse (136 reports), Unknown (8 reports), Dog (7 reports). By breed: Horse (unknown) (34), Quarter Horse (33), Unknown (13).

Leading clinical signs: INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION (32), Sedation prolonged (19), Tachypnoea (15), Accidental exposure (13). Outcome, 70 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 54.3%.

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.