Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Diethylstilbestrol (Des)

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

86
adverse-event reports
11.6%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
23
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.
86
Total Reports
10
Deaths Reported
11.6%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Diethylstilbestrol (Des)

Administration Routes

OralUnknown

Species Affected

Dog 86

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 13
Shepherd Dog - German 5
Doberman Pinscher 4
Crossbred Canine/dog 4
Boxer (German Boxer) 4
Schnauzer - Miniature 4
Shepherd Dog - Australian 3
Beagle 2
Retriever - Golden 2
Pit Bull 2

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 23
Emesis 19
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 13
Anorexia 8
Death by euthanasia 7
Other abnormal test result NOS 7
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 7
Lack of efficacy - NOS 7
Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) 7
Decreased appetite 7
Seizure NOS 6
Urinary incontinence 6

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
40 (46.5%)
Outcome Unknown
19 (22.1%)
Ongoing
14 (16.3%)
Euthanized
7 (8.1%)
Recovered with Sequela
3 (3.5%)
Died
3 (3.5%)

Diethylstilbestrol (Des) Adverse Event Insights

86 reports name Diethylstilbestrol (Des); 10 recorded a death outcome (11.6% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Diethylstilbestrol (Des). Administration routes: Oral, Unknown.

By species: Dog (86 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (13), Shepherd Dog - German (5), Doberman Pinscher (4).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (23), Emesis (19), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (13), Anorexia (8). Outcome, 86 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 46.5%.

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.