Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for respiratory arrest

659 FDA adverse-event reports reference respiratory arrest (VeDDRA 831). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

659
reports citing this reaction
76.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Isoflurane
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
659
Total Reports
506
Deaths
76.8%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 439
Cat 200
Rabbit 5
Horse 4
Human 2
Rat 1
Fish 1
Guinea Pig 1
Mouse 1
Pig 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 118
Chihuahua 37
Retriever - Labrador 33
Terrier - Yorkshire 28
Pug 21
Cat (unknown) 21
Spitz - German Pomeranian 19
Shih Tzu 18
Domestic Longhair 17
Dog (unknown) 16

Associated Drugs

Isoflurane 114
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 95
Butorphanol 89
Maropitant Citrate 85
Ketamine 61
Buprenorphine 57
Cefovecin 50
Propofol 50
Carprofen 47
Dexmedetomidine 45
Epinephrine 43
Butorphanol Tartrate 43
Moxidectin 40
Atropine 35
Dexamethasone 35
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 34
Midazolam 31
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 30
Diazepam 27
Tiletamine Hcl; Zolazapam Hcl 24

Respiratory arrest Reaction Insights

659 reports name Respiratory arrest; 506 recorded a death outcome (76.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 831.

By species: Dog (439 reports), Cat (200 reports), Rabbit (5 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (118), Chihuahua (37), Retriever - Labrador (33).

Most co-reported drugs: Isoflurane (114 reports), Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride (95 reports), Butorphanol (89 reports), Maropitant Citrate (85 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.