Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for irregular breathing

319 FDA adverse-event reports reference irregular breathing (VeDDRA 838). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

319
reports citing this reaction
26.6%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
319
Total Reports
85
Deaths
26.6%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 241
Cat 62
Horse 8
Cattle 3
Human 3
Rabbit 1
Other Rodents 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 34
Retriever - Labrador 21
Chihuahua 16
Crossbred Canine/dog 11
Shih Tzu 10
Beagle 9
Pit Bull 8
Dog (unknown) 8
Bulldog - French 8
Terrier (unspecified) 7

Associated Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 53
Spinosad 20
Afoxolaner 20
Selamectin 15
Maropitant Citrate 12
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 11
Cefovecin 11
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 11
Moxidectin 10
Pyrantel Pamoate;Sarolaner 10
Melarsomine Dihydrochloride Injection 9
Carprofen 8
Oclacitinib Maleate 8
Butorphanol 8
Isoflurane 7
Meloxicam 7
Trilostane 7
Ketamine Hydrochloride 6
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 6
Lotilaner 6

Irregular breathing Reaction Insights

319 reports name Irregular breathing; 85 recorded a death outcome (26.6% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 838.

By species: Dog (241 reports), Cat (62 reports), Horse (8 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (34), Retriever - Labrador (21), Chihuahua (16).

Most co-reported drugs: Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (53 reports), Spinosad (20 reports), Afoxolaner (20 reports), Selamectin (15 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.