Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Glucosamine

1,191 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Glucosamine. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

1,191
adverse-event reports
11.2%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
215
Vomiting - top reaction
Verify with FDA CVM →
Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
1,191
Total Reports
133
Deaths Reported
11.2%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Glucosamine

Administration Routes

OralUnknownSubcutaneousAuricular (Otic)Topical

Species Affected

Dog 1,137
Cat 47
Human 3
Unknown 2
Horse 2

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 235
Retriever - Golden 80
Crossbred Canine/dog 60
Shepherd Dog - German 56
Boxer (German Boxer) 38
Domestic Shorthair 33
Shepherd Dog - Australian 32
Cattle Dog - Australian (blue heeler, red heeler, Queensland cattledog) 25
Collie - Border 25
Pit Bull 22

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 215
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 207
Emesis 155
Diarrhoea 136
Lack of efficacy - NOS 95
Death by euthanasia 85
Seizure NOS 80
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 79
Weight loss 71
Decreased appetite 70
Other abnormal test result NOS 70
Anorexia 68

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
402 (33.8%)
Ongoing
325 (27.3%)
Outcome Unknown
281 (23.6%)
Euthanized
85 (7.1%)
Recovered with Sequela
48 (4.0%)
Died
48 (4.0%)

Glucosamine Adverse Event Insights

1,191 reports name Glucosamine; 133 recorded a death outcome (11.2% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Glucosamine. Administration routes: Oral, Unknown, Subcutaneous, Auricular (Otic).

By species: Dog (1,137 reports), Cat (47 reports), Human (3 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (235), Retriever - Golden (80), Crossbred Canine/dog (60).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (215), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (207), Emesis (155), Diarrhoea (136). Outcome, 1,189 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 33.8%.

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.