Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Hydrocodone Bitartrate

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

18
adverse-event reports
16.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
5
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.
18
Total Reports
3
Deaths Reported
16.7%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Hydrocodone Bitartrate

Administration Routes

OralUnknown

Species Affected

Dog 18

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 3
Chihuahua 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 2
Collie - Border 1
Terrier - West Highland White 1
Boxer (German Boxer) 1
Dog (unknown) 1
Maltese 1
Deutsche Dogge, Great Dane 1
Terrier (unspecified) 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy - NOS 5
Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 4
Vomiting 3
Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS 3
Abnormal radiograph finding 3
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 3
Diarrhoea 2
INEFFECTIVE, HEARTWORM LARVAE 2
Death by euthanasia 2
Hyperkalaemia 2
Decreased appetite 2
Seizure NOS 2

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
12 (66.7%)
Recovered/Normal
2 (11.1%)
Euthanized
2 (11.1%)
Outcome Unknown
1 (5.6%)
Died
1 (5.6%)

Hydrocodone Bitartrate Adverse Event Insights

18 reports name Hydrocodone Bitartrate; 3 recorded a death outcome (16.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Hydrocodone Bitartrate. Administration routes: Oral, Unknown.

By species: Dog (18 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (3), Chihuahua (2), Crossbred Canine/dog (2).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy - NOS (5), Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (4), Vomiting (3), Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS (3). Outcome, 18 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 66.7%.

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.