Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Dexmedetomidine (Unknown)

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

52
adverse-event reports
25.0%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
12
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.
52
Total Reports
13
Deaths Reported
25.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Dexmedetomidine (Unknown)

Administration Routes

UnknownIntramuscularIntravenous

Species Affected

Dog 36
Cat 15
Horse 1

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 10
Terrier - Bull - American Pit 5
Domestic Longhair 5
Retriever - Labrador 4
Weimaraner 3
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Pug 2
Siberian Husky 2
Hound (unspecified) 2
Boxer (German Boxer) 2

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 12
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 10
Death 9
Hypotension 6
Anaphylaxis 6
Pale mucous membrane 5
Fever 5
Bloody diarrhoea 4
Tachycardia 4
Seizure NOS 4
Death by euthanasia 4
Ataxia 4

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
28 (53.8%)
Recovered/Normal
10 (19.2%)
Died
9 (17.3%)
Euthanized
4 (7.7%)
Outcome Unknown
1 (1.9%)

Dexmedetomidine (Unknown) Adverse Event Insights

52 reports name Dexmedetomidine (Unknown); 13 recorded a death outcome (25.0% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Dexmedetomidine (Unknown). Administration routes: Unknown, Intramuscular, Intravenous.

By species: Dog (36 reports), Cat (15 reports), Horse (1 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (10), Terrier - Bull - American Pit (5), Domestic Longhair (5).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (12), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (10), Death (9), Hypotension (6). Outcome, 52 coded reports: Ongoing 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.