Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for excitation

368 FDA adverse-event reports reference excitation (VeDDRA 120). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

368
reports citing this reaction
11.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Buprenorphine
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
368
Total Reports
43
Deaths
11.7%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 233
Cat 114
Horse 18
Other Rodents 1
Mouse 1
Cattle 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 59
Dog (unknown) 23
Retriever - Labrador 23
Crossbred Canine/dog 16
Cat (unknown) 14
Unknown 14
Shepherd Dog - German 10
Terrier - Yorkshire 10
Boxer (German Boxer) 8
Retriever - Golden 7

Associated Drugs

Buprenorphine 71
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 39
Alfaxalone 32
Isoflurane 32
Propofol 24
Butorphanol 24
Dexmedetomidine 23
Ketamine 15
Acepromazine 13
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 12
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 12
Carprofen 12
Maropitant Citrate 12
Midazolam 12
Spinosad 11
Trilostane 11
Nitenpyram 11
Robenacoxib 11
Oclacitinib Maleate 10
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 9

Excitation Reaction Insights

368 reports name Excitation; 43 recorded a death outcome (11.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 120.

By species: Dog (233 reports), Cat (114 reports), Horse (18 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (59), Dog (unknown) (23), Retriever - Labrador (23).

Most co-reported drugs: Buprenorphine (71 reports), Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (39 reports), Alfaxalone (32 reports), Isoflurane (32 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.