Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Dexmedetomidine Hcl

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

119
adverse-event reports
14.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
65
Lack of efficacy - NOS - 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.
119
Total Reports
17
Deaths Reported
14.3%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Dexmedetomidine Hcl

Administration Routes

IntramuscularIntravenousUnknown

Species Affected

Dog 69
Cat 50

Most Affected Breeds

Unknown 62
Domestic Shorthair 13
Retriever - Labrador 5
Shepherd Dog - German 4
Schnauzer - Miniature 4
Chihuahua 3
Domestic Longhair 2
Rottweiler 2
Domestic (unspecified) 2
Mountain Dog - Bernese 2

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy - NOS 65
Death 13
Hyperthermia 12
Bradycardia 10
Cardiac arrest 9
Vomiting 9
Respiratory arrest 6
Sedation prolonged 5
Anorexia 4
Seizure NOS 4
Ataxia 4
Cyanosis 4

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
102 (81.0%)
Died
13 (10.3%)
Euthanized
5 (4.0%)
Ongoing
3 (2.4%)
Outcome Unknown
3 (2.4%)

Dexmedetomidine Hcl Adverse Event Insights

119 reports name Dexmedetomidine Hcl; 17 recorded a death outcome (14.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Dexmedetomidine Hcl. Administration routes: Intramuscular, Intravenous, Unknown.

By species: Dog (69 reports), Cat (50 reports). By breed: Unknown (62), Domestic Shorthair (13), Retriever - Labrador (5).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy - NOS (65), Death (13), Hyperthermia (12), Bradycardia (10). Outcome, 126 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 81.0%.

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.