Drug profile

The FDA adverse-event record for Xylazine Hydrochloride

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

115
adverse-event reports
22.6%
death-coded share
Horse
most-reported species
35
Lack of efficacy - NOS - 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.
115
Total Reports
26
Deaths Reported
22.6%
Death Rate

Active Ingredients

Xylazine Hydrochloride

Administration Routes

UnknownIntravenousIntramuscularIntraperitonealUrethral

Species Affected

Horse 57
Cat 12
Unknown 11
Dog 8
Cattle 7
Donkey 5
Pig 4
Rat 3
Sheep 3
Rabbit 2

Most Affected Breeds

Unknown 37
Horse (unknown) 22
Quarter Horse 8
Domestic Shorthair 6
Dog (unknown) 4
Palomino 3
Pig (unknown) 3
Sheep (unknown) 3
Cattle (unknown) 3
Arab 2

Most Reported Reactions

Lack of efficacy - NOS 35
INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION 17
Death 16
INEFFECTIVE, ANESTHESIA 9
Seizure NOS 8
Color, Abnormal 5
Unrelated death 5
Appearance, Abnormal 5
Intentional misuse 5
Ataxia 4
Sedation 4
Behavioural disorder NOS 4

Outcome Breakdown

Recovered/Normal
69 (63.9%)
Died
18 (16.7%)
Outcome Unknown
13 (12.0%)
Euthanized
8 (7.4%)

Xylazine Hydrochloride Adverse Event Insights

115 reports name Xylazine Hydrochloride; 26 recorded a death outcome (22.6% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). Active ingredient: Xylazine Hydrochloride. Administration routes: Unknown, Intravenous, Intramuscular, Intraperitoneal.

By species: Horse (57 reports), Cat (12 reports), Unknown (11 reports). By breed: Unknown (37), Horse (unknown) (22), Quarter Horse (8).

Leading clinical signs: Lack of efficacy - NOS (35), INEFFECTIVE, SEDATION (17), Death (16), INEFFECTIVE, ANESTHESIA (9). Outcome, 108 coded reports: Recovered/Normal leads at 63.9%.

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.