Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Diclofenac

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

77
adverse-event reports
7.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
14
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.
77
Total Reports
6
Deaths Reported
7.8%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Diclofenac

Administration Routes

OphthalmicUnknownTopicalOralIntraocular

Species Affected

Dog 63
Horse 6
Unknown 3
Cat 3
Human 2

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 6
Unknown 5
Terrier - Jack Russell 4
Schnauzer (unspecified) 4
Beagle 4
Horse (other) 3
Spitz - German Pomeranian 3
Bichon Frise 3
Domestic Shorthair 3
Shih Tzu 3

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 14
Diarrhoea 7
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 7
Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 6
Urinary tract infection 6
Decreased appetite 6
Death by euthanasia 5
Accidental exposure 4
Loose stool 4
Hypoglycaemia 4
Elevated creatinine 4
Elevated cholesterol (total) 4

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
30 (46.9%)
Ongoing
20 (31.3%)
Outcome Unknown
6 (9.4%)
Euthanized
4 (6.3%)
Died
2 (3.1%)
Recovered with Sequela
2 (3.1%)

Diclofenac Adverse Event Insights

77 reports name Diclofenac; 6 recorded a death outcome (7.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Diclofenac. Administration routes: Ophthalmic, Unknown, Topical, Oral.

By species: Dog (63 reports), Horse (6 reports), Unknown (3 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (6), Unknown (5), Terrier - Jack Russell (4).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (14), Diarrhoea (7), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (7), Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (6). Outcome, 64 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 46.9%.

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.