Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Spironolactone

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

165
adverse-event reports
18.2%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
37
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.
165
Total Reports
30
Deaths Reported
18.2%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Spironolactone

Administration Routes

OralUnknownRectal

Species Affected

Dog 147
Cat 15
Human 3

Most Affected Breeds

Chihuahua 18
Maltese 13
Domestic Shorthair 13
Shih Tzu 8
Spitz - German Pomeranian 8
Crossbred Canine/dog 8
Spaniel - King Charles Cavalier 6
Terrier (unspecified) 6
Shepherd Dog - Australian 6
Schnauzer - Miniature 5

Most Reported Reactions

Vomiting 37
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 27
Diarrhoea 25
Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 23
Death by euthanasia 19
Anorexia 19
Decreased appetite 18
Elevated creatinine 17
Weight loss 15
Lack of efficacy - NOS 15
Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 14
Death 12

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
51 (30.7%)
Outcome Unknown
50 (30.1%)
Recovered/Normal
31 (18.7%)
Euthanized
18 (10.8%)
Died
12 (7.2%)
Recovered with Sequela
4 (2.4%)

Spironolactone Adverse Event Insights

165 reports name Spironolactone; 30 recorded a death outcome (18.2% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Spironolactone. Administration routes: Oral, Unknown, Rectal.

By species: Dog (147 reports), Cat (15 reports), Human (3 reports). By breed: Chihuahua (18), Maltese (13), Domestic Shorthair (13).

Leading clinical signs: Vomiting (37), Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (27), Diarrhoea (25), Elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (23). Outcome, 166 coded reports: Ongoing leads at 30.7%.

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.