Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Ketoconazole

1,317 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Ketoconazole. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

1,317
adverse-event reports
5.9%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
178
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.
1,317
Total Reports
78
Deaths Reported
5.9%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Ketoconazole

Administration Routes

OralUnknownAuricular (Otic)TopicalOphthalmicNasalParenteral

Species Affected

Dog 1,304
Cat 11
Human 2

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 171
Shepherd Dog - German 92
Retriever - Golden 68
Shih Tzu 64
Terrier - West Highland White 49
Crossbred Canine/dog 48
Pit Bull 47
Bulldog 44
Boxer (German Boxer) 39
Terrier - Bull - American Pit 37

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 178
Lack of efficacy - NOS 154
Other abnormal test result NOS 146
Diarrhoea 136
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 127
Emesis 124
INEFFECTIVE, ATOPY CONTROL 75
Weight loss 71
Anorexia 60
Gingival hyperplasia 55
Ataxia 48
Decreased appetite 48

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
531 (40.3%)
Recovered/Normal
398 (30.2%)
Outcome Unknown
277 (21.0%)
Euthanized
46 (3.5%)
Recovered with Sequela
34 (2.6%)
Died
32 (2.4%)

Ketoconazole Adverse Event Insights

1,317 reports name Ketoconazole; 78 recorded a death outcome (5.9% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Ketoconazole. Administration routes: Oral, Unknown, Auricular (Otic), Topical.

By species: Dog (1,304 reports), Cat (11 reports), Human (2 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (171), Shepherd Dog - German (92), Retriever - Golden (68).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (178), Lack of efficacy - NOS (154), Other abnormal test result NOS (146), Diarrhoea (136). Outcome, 1,318 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 40.3%.

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.