Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for arrhythmia

881 FDA adverse-event reports reference arrhythmia (VeDDRA 186). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

881
reports citing this reaction
24.9%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
881
Total Reports
219
Deaths
24.9%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 672
Cat 175
Horse 15
Human 11
Cattle 3
Rabbit 3
Monkey 1
Jaguar 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 95
Retriever - Labrador 70
Crossbred Canine/dog 53
Boxer (German Boxer) 40
Dog (unknown) 31
Domestic (unspecified) 24
Retriever - Golden 23
Shepherd Dog - German 22
Unknown 22
Chihuahua 22

Associated Drugs

Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 84
Carprofen 70
Maropitant Citrate 62
Pimobendan 61
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 55
Isoflurane 49
Propofol 47
Gabapentin 45
Butorphanol 44
Bedinvetmab 42
Moxidectin 36
Cefovecin 35
Oclacitinib Maleate 31
Trilostane 29
Buprenorphine 27
Spinosad 26
Ketamine 24
Prednisone 24
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 22
Afoxolaner 22

Arrhythmia Reaction Insights

881 reports name Arrhythmia; 219 recorded a death outcome (24.9% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 186.

By species: Dog (672 reports), Cat (175 reports), Horse (15 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (95), Retriever - Labrador (70), Crossbred Canine/dog (53).

Most co-reported drugs: Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride (84 reports), Carprofen (70 reports), Maropitant Citrate (62 reports), Pimobendan (61 reports).

Read these counts as reporting volume, not risk: per our methodology, co-reporting reflects temporal association captured in voluntary submissions, not proof that a drug caused this reaction. A widely-prescribed drug will rack up more raw co-reports at an identical true rate than a rarely-used one, so compare within similar-exposure products.

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.