Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile)

19 adverse-event reports submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine reference Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile). See the species affected, top reactions, and outcomes below.

19
adverse-event reports
26.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
6
Ataxia - 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.
19
Total Reports
5
Deaths Reported
26.3%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile)

Administration Routes

Auricular (Otic)UnknownIntravenousTopicalIntramuscular

Species Affected

Dog 13
Cat 5
Pig 1

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 4
Chihuahua 2
Bichon Frise 2
Shiba Inu 2
Crossbred Porcine/Pig 1
Lhasa Apso 1
Havanese 1
Cat (unknown) 1
Poodle - Standard 1
Griffon - Brussels 1

Most Reported Reactions

Ataxia 6
Vestibular disorder NOS 6
Other abnormal test result NOS 5
Ocular discharge 5
Nystagmus 5
Death by euthanasia 5
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in Neurological) 5
Head tilt - ear disorder 4
Schirmer tear test 4
Decreased appetite 4
Falling 4
Corneal ulcer 3

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
7 (36.8%)
Ongoing
5 (26.3%)
Euthanized
5 (26.3%)
Recovered/Normal
2 (10.5%)

Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile) Adverse Event Insights

19 reports name Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile); 5 recorded a death outcome (26.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Phosphate Buffered Saline (Sterile). Administration routes: Auricular (Otic), Unknown, Intravenous, Topical.

By species: Dog (13 reports), Cat (5 reports), Pig (1 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (4), Chihuahua (2), Bichon Frise (2).

Leading clinical signs: Ataxia (6), Vestibular disorder NOS (6), Other abnormal test result NOS (5), Ocular discharge (5). Outcome, 19 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 36.8%.

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.