Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for cardiac arrest

1,955 FDA adverse-event reports reference cardiac arrest (VeDDRA 195). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

1,955
reports citing this reaction
83.4%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
1,955
Total Reports
1,631
Deaths
83.4%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 1,254
Cat 612
Rabbit 20
Other 19
Horse 9
Human 7
Guinea Pig 6
Cattle 4
Goat 3
Turtle 3

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 251
Domestic (unspecified) 122
Cat (unknown) 92
Chihuahua 86
Crossbred Canine/dog 81
Retriever - Labrador 79
Dog (unknown) 72
Unknown 62
Shih Tzu 60
Terrier - Yorkshire 56

Associated Drugs

Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 304
Isoflurane 304
Propofol 235
Maropitant Citrate 206
Butorphanol 179
Carprofen 158
Ketamine Hydrochloride 129
Buprenorphine 128
Butorphanol Tartrate 114
Ketamine 106
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 103
Epinephrine 95
Dexmedetomidine 93
Atropine 91
Cefovecin 78
Alfaxalone 74
Midazolam 70
Meloxicam 66
Sevoflurane 64
Moxidectin 58

Cardiac arrest Reaction Insights

1,955 reports name Cardiac arrest; 1,631 recorded a death outcome (83.4% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 195.

By species: Dog (1,254 reports), Cat (612 reports), Rabbit (20 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (251), Domestic (unspecified) (122), Cat (unknown) (92).

Most co-reported drugs: Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride (304 reports), Isoflurane (304 reports), Propofol (235 reports), Maropitant Citrate (206 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.