Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Ear Cleaner

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

380
adverse-event reports
4.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
78
Lack of efficacy - NOS - 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.
380
Total Reports
17
Deaths Reported
4.5%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Ear Cleaner

Administration Routes

UnknownAuricular (Otic)TopicalIntraocularTransdermal

Species Affected

Dog 315
Cat 65

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 43
Retriever - Labrador 33
Retriever - Golden 24
Crossbred Canine/dog 22
Shih Tzu 18
Dog (unknown) 14
Chihuahua 13
Bulldog - French 11
Shepherd Dog - German 10
Maltese 10

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy - NOS 78
Ataxia 55
Vomiting 43
Head tilt - ear disorder 35
Ear discharge 35
Corneal ulcer 31
Not eating 28
Deafness 28
Anorexia 27
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 26
Nystagmus 25
Head shake - ear disorder 24

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
176 (46.3%)
Ongoing
97 (25.5%)
Recovered/Normal
82 (21.6%)
Euthanized
10 (2.6%)
Recovered with Sequela
8 (2.1%)
Died
7 (1.8%)

Ear Cleaner Adverse Event Insights

380 reports name Ear Cleaner; 17 recorded a death outcome (4.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Ear Cleaner. Administration routes: Unknown, Auricular (Otic), Topical, Intraocular.

By species: Dog (315 reports), Cat (65 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (43), Retriever - Labrador (33), Retriever - Golden (24).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy - NOS (78), Ataxia (55), Vomiting (43), Head tilt - ear disorder (35). Outcome, 380 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 46.3%.

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.