Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for opisthotonus

203 FDA adverse-event reports reference opisthotonus (VeDDRA 644). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

203
reports citing this reaction
35.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
203
Total Reports
72
Deaths
35.5%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 159
Cat 30
Cattle 9
Turkey 2
Reindeer 1
Goat 1
Fox 1

Breeds Most Affected

Crossbred Canine/dog 28
Domestic Shorthair 15
Retriever - Labrador 14
Terrier - Yorkshire 13
Maltese 9
Shih Tzu 8
Chihuahua 7
Domestic (unspecified) 6
Pug 5
Retriever - Golden 5

Associated Drugs

Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 27
Propofol 26
Afoxolaner 16
Butorphanol 12
Spinosad 11
Carprofen 11
Maropitant Citrate 11
Isoflurane 10
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 9
Diazepam 7
Alfaxalone 7
Midazolam 7
Cefovecin 6
Buprenorphine 6
Oclacitinib Maleate 6
Sarolaner 6
Cefovecin Sodium 5
Dexmedetomidine 5
Fluralaner 13.64% 12-Week Chew 5
Meloxicam 4

Opisthotonus Reaction Insights

203 reports name Opisthotonus; 72 recorded a death outcome (35.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 644.

By species: Dog (159 reports), Cat (30 reports), Cattle (9 reports). By breed: Crossbred Canine/dog (28), Domestic Shorthair (15), Retriever - Labrador (14).

Most co-reported drugs: Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (27 reports), Propofol (26 reports), Afoxolaner (16 reports), Butorphanol (12 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.