Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Unspecified Anesthetic

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

40
adverse-event reports
7.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-reported species
7
Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') - 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.
40
Total Reports
3
Deaths Reported
7.5%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Unspecified Anesthetic

Administration Routes

UnknownIntravenous

Species Affected

Dog 25
Cat 15

Most Affected Breeds

Domestic Shorthair 6
Dog (unknown) 4
Retriever - Golden 3
Pit Bull 3
Chihuahua 2
Beagle 2
Shepherd Dog - German 2
Domestic Mediumhair 2
Retriever - Labrador 2
Collie - Border 1

Most Reported Reactions

Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') 7
Ataxia 6
Diarrhoea 4
Tachypnoea 4
Tachycardia 4
Recovery prolonged 4
Anorexia 4
Decreased appetite 4
Horner's syndrome 4
Vomiting 4
Head tilt - ear disorder 3
Nystagmus 3

Outcome Breakdown

Outcome Unknown
14 (35.0%)
Recovered/Normal
14 (35.0%)
Ongoing
8 (20.0%)
Died
2 (5.0%)
Euthanized
1 (2.5%)
Recovered with Sequela
1 (2.5%)

Unspecified Anesthetic Adverse Event Insights

40 reports name Unspecified Anesthetic; 3 recorded a death outcome (7.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Unspecified Anesthetic. Administration routes: Unknown, Intravenous.

By species: Dog (25 reports), Cat (15 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (6), Dog (unknown) (4), Retriever - Golden (3).

Leading clinical signs: Lethargy (see also Central nervous system depression in 'Neurological') (7), Ataxia (6), Diarrhoea (4), Tachypnoea (4). Outcome, 40 coded reports: Outcome Unknown leads at 35.0%.

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.