Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Detomidine Hydrochloride

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

678
adverse-event reports
11.7%
death-coded share
Horse
most-reported species
115
INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION - 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.
678
Total Reports
79
Deaths Reported
11.7%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Detomidine Hydrochloride

Administration Routes

IntravenousUnknownSublingualOralIntramuscularTopicalOtherEpiduralSubcutaneousOphthalmic

Species Affected

Horse 560
Unknown 29
Human 24
Dog 22
Donkey 20
Other Equids 7
Cat 5
Pig 3
Mule 2
Goat 2

Most Affected Breeds

Quarter Horse 151
Horse (unknown) 144
Unknown 65
Thoroughbred 54
Warmblood (unspecified) 39
Arab 24
Donkey (other) 16
Miniature 15
Paint 15
Appaloosa 12

Most Reported Reactions

INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION 115
Lack of efficacy - NOS 84
Sedation prolonged 55
Underdose 54
Hives (see also 'Skin') 46
Tachypnoea 37
Colic 36
Tachycardia 30
Death 30
Fever 29
Death by euthanasia 28
Urticaria 28

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
422 (64.8%)
Outcome Unknown
99 (15.2%)
Ongoing
50 (7.7%)
Died
48 (7.4%)
Euthanized
31 (4.8%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (0.2%)

Detomidine Hydrochloride Adverse Event Insights

678 reports name Detomidine Hydrochloride; 79 recorded a death outcome (11.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Detomidine Hydrochloride. Administration routes: Intravenous, Unknown, Sublingual, Oral.

By species: Horse (560 reports), Unknown (29 reports), Human (24 reports). By breed: Quarter Horse (151), Horse (unknown) (144), Unknown (65).

Leading clinical signs: INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION (115), Lack of efficacy - NOS (84), Sedation prolonged (55), Underdose (54). Outcome, 651 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 64.8%.

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.