Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for polycythaemia

393 FDA adverse-event reports reference polycythaemia (VeDDRA 2521). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

393
reports citing this reaction
23.7%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Carprofen
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
393
Total Reports
93
Deaths
23.7%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 342
Cat 45
Horse 6

Breeds Most Affected

Retriever - Labrador 58
Crossbred Canine/dog 40
Domestic Shorthair 19
Shepherd Dog - German 18
Terrier - Yorkshire 16
Dachshund (unspecified) 13
Retriever - Golden 12
Terrier - Boston 8
Shih Tzu 8
Domestic (unspecified) 8

Associated Drugs

Carprofen 59
Maropitant Citrate 27
Meloxicam 26
Deracoxib 22
Spinosad 19
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 17
Grapiprant 15
Afoxolaner 14
Oclacitinib Maleate 14
Moxidectin 13
Milbemycin Oxime + Praziquantel 13
Maropitant 12
Famotidine 12
Melarsomine Dihydrochloride Injection 11
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 11
Metronidazole 10
Lotilaner 10
Dexamethasone 9
Gabapentin 9
Bedinvetmab 9

Polycythaemia Reaction Insights

393 reports name Polycythaemia; 93 recorded a death outcome (23.7% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2521.

By species: Dog (342 reports), Cat (45 reports), Horse (6 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (58), Crossbred Canine/dog (40), Domestic Shorthair (19).

Most co-reported drugs: Carprofen (59 reports), Maropitant Citrate (27 reports), Meloxicam (26 reports), Deracoxib (22 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.