Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole

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17 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.
17
Total Reports
4
Deaths Reported
2350.0%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole

Administration Routes

OralUnknown

Species Affected

Dog 17

Most Affected Breeds

Retriever - Labrador 3
Bulldog 2
Crossbred Canine/dog 1
Poodle (unspecified) 1
Terrier (unspecified) 1
Dachshund (unspecified) 1
Boxer (German Boxer) 1
Shih Tzu 1
Retriever - Golden 1
Dachshund - Miniature 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 5
Vomiting 5
Seizure NOS 4
Other abnormal test result NOS 3
Death 3
Emesis 2
Decreased appetite 2
Drooling 2
Shaking 2
Intestinal perforation 2
Peritonitis 2
Not eating 2

Outcome Breakdown

Ongoing
5 (29.4%)
Outcome Unknown
4 (23.5%)
Recovered/Normal
3 (17.6%)
Died
3 (17.6%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (5.9%)
Euthanized
1 (5.9%)

Data Summary

Metric Value
Total adverse event reports 17
Reports involving death 4
Case-fatality rate (reported events) 2350.0%
Distinct species in reports 1
Distinct breeds in reports 14
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.

Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole Adverse Event Insights

The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine database currently holds 17 adverse event reports referencing Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole, including 4 reports in which the animal died — a 2350.0% case-fatality figure among reported events only, not a population-level mortality rate. Active ingredient on file: Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole. 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 Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole reports are Dog (17 reports), with Dog accounting for the largest share. Within those species, Retriever - Labrador (3), Bulldog (2), Crossbred Canine/dog (1) 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 Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole are Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (5), Vomiting (5), Seizure NOS (4), Other abnormal test result NOS (3). Of the 17 reports with a coded outcome, Ongoing is the leading category at 29.4%. 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 Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole.

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