Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Epoetin Alfa

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

12
adverse-event reports
25.0%
death-coded share
Cat
most-reported species
4
Pale mucous membrane - 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.
12
Total Reports
3
Deaths Reported
25.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Epoetin Alfa

Administration Routes

UnknownOralSubcutaneous

Species Affected

Cat 6
Dog 6

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 3
Domestic Longhair 2
Chihuahua 2
Retriever - Labrador 1
Sheepdog - Shetland 1
Terrier - Jack Russell 1
Terrier - Rat 1
Cat (unknown) 1

Most Reported Reactions

Pale mucous membrane 4
Anaemia NOS 3
Anorexia 3
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 3
Weight loss 3
Death by euthanasia 3
Leucocytosis NOS 3
Other abnormal test result NOS 2
Thrombocytopenia 2
Emesis (multiple) 2
Behavioural disorder NOS 2
Lack of efficacy - NOS 2

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
5 (41.7%)
Ongoing
3 (25.0%)
Euthanized
3 (25.0%)
Recovered/Normal
1 (8.3%)

Epoetin Alfa Adverse Event Insights

12 reports name Epoetin Alfa; 3 recorded a death outcome (25.0% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Epoetin Alfa. Administration routes: Unknown, Oral, Subcutaneous.

By species: Cat (6 reports), Dog (6 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (3), Domestic Longhair (2), Chihuahua (2).

Leading clinical signs: Pale mucous membrane (4), Anaemia NOS (3), Anorexia (3), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (3). Outcome, 12 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 41.7%.

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.