Sam-E

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51 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA

Important: Adverse event reports do not establish that a drug caused or contributed to the event. Consult your veterinarian before making treatment decisions.
51
Total Reports
4
Deaths Reported
780.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Sam-E

Administration Routes

OralUnknown

Species Affected

Dog 49
Cat 2

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 6
Crossbred Canine/dog 6
Chihuahua 3
American Pit Bull Terrier 3
Bichon Frise 2
Schnauzer - Miniature 2
Maltese 2
Terrier - Boston 2
Dachshund - Standard Smooth-haired 2
Spaniel (unspecified) 2

Most Reported Reactions

Decreased appetite 10
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 10
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 10
Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) 9
Diarrhoea 8
Underdose 8
Anorexia 7
Panting 5
Vomiting 5
Hyperkalaemia 5
Death by euthanasia 4
Weight loss 4

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
30 (58.8%)
Ongoing
11 (21.6%)
Recovered/Normal
6 (11.8%)
Euthanized
4 (7.8%)

Data Summary

Metric Value
Total adverse event reports 51
Reports involving death 4
Case-fatality rate (reported events) 780.0%
Distinct species in reports 2
Distinct breeds in reports 20
Distinct reactions reported 20
Active ingredients on file 1

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine — Adverse Event Reporting (CVM AER). Counts reflect voluntary reports only.

Sam-E Adverse Event Insights

The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine database currently holds 51 adverse event reports referencing Sam-E, including 4 reports in which the animal died — a 780.0% case-fatality figure among reported events only, not a population-level mortality rate. Active ingredient on file: Sam-E. Reported administration routes include Oral, Unknown. These numbers reflect voluntary submissions from pet owners, veterinarians, and manufacturers and therefore under-represent mild events and over-represent severe ones — a pattern the FDA has documented repeatedly for pharmacovigilance datasets.

The species most frequently named in Sam-E reports are Dog (49 reports), Cat (2 reports), with Dog accounting for the largest share. Within those species, Retriever - Labrador (6), Crossbred Canine/dog (6), Chihuahua (3) appear most often — though breed popularity and ownership density shape these counts as much as any drug-specific sensitivity. This distribution matters because the same active ingredient can behave very differently across body sizes, ages, and species physiology.

The most commonly reported clinical signs associated with Sam-E are Decreased appetite (10), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (10), Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (10), Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) (9). Of the 51 reports with a coded outcome, Outcome Unknown is the leading category at 58.8%. Because FDA adverse event data describes correlation rather than causation, these figures are best used to frame informed questions with a veterinarian and to compare reporting patterns across related products — not as a standalone safety verdict on Sam-E.

Source: FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine — Adverse Event Reports FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine — Adverse Event Reports Data reflects voluntary submissions and may not represent actual incidence rates

Related

Data sourced from official AKC, AVMA, ACVO, and breed-club veterinary references. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBreed Editorial