Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Oxytetracycline Dihydrate

243 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Oxytetracycline Dihydrate. See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

243
adverse-event reports
21.4%
death-coded share
Unknown
most-reported species
54
Vials, Damaged - 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.
243
Total Reports
52
Deaths Reported
21.4%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Oxytetracycline Dihydrate

Administration Routes

UnknownSubcutaneousIntramuscularIntravenousOralParenteralCutaneousOphthalmicTopicalOther

Species Affected

Unknown 123
Cattle 85
Human 15
Horse 9
Dog 7
Goat 2
Pig 1
Cat 1

Most Affected Breeds

Unknown 142
Aberdeen Angus 26
Cattle (unknown) 25
Cattle (other) 11
Crossbred Bovine/Cattle 4
Hereford cattle 4
Holstein-Friesian also known as Holstein 3
Red Angus 3
Mixed (Cattle) 2
Thoroughbred 2

Most Reported Reactions

Vials, Damaged 54
Death 44
Defect Unknown/Not Specified 34
Contamination NOS 34
Lack of efficacy - NOS 15
Injection site swelling 15
Bottles, Damaged 15
Anaphylaxis 13
Containers, Leaking 9
Lack of efficacy (bacteria) - NOS 7
Foaming at the mouth 7
Product Defect, General 7

Outcome Breakdown

Died
48 (34.0%)
Outcome Unknown
41 (29.1%)
Recovered/Normal
40 (28.4%)
Ongoing
7 (5.0%)
Euthanized
4 (2.8%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (0.7%)

Oxytetracycline Dihydrate Adverse Event Insights

243 reports name Oxytetracycline Dihydrate; 52 recorded a death outcome (21.4% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Oxytetracycline Dihydrate. Administration routes: Unknown, Subcutaneous, Intramuscular, Intravenous.

By species: Unknown (123 reports), Cattle (85 reports), Human (15 reports). By breed: Unknown (142), Aberdeen Angus (26), Cattle (unknown) (25).

Leading clinical signs: Vials, Damaged (54), Death (44), Defect Unknown/Not Specified (34), Contamination NOS (34). Outcome, 141 coded reports: Died leads at 34.0%.

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.