Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for rough recovery

85 FDA adverse-event reports reference rough recovery (VeDDRA 2503). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

85
reports citing this reaction
15.3%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Ketamine Hydrochloride
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
85
Total Reports
13
Deaths
15.3%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 45
Cat 20
Horse 17
Cattle 2
Monkey 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 10
Horse (unknown) 8
Dog (unknown) 7
Quarter Horse 5
Chihuahua 5
Cat (unknown) 4
Retriever - Labrador 3
Mixed (Dog) 3
Unknown 3
Poodle (unspecified) 2

Associated Drugs

Ketamine Hydrochloride 26
Isoflurane 20
Dexmedetomidine 16
Alfaxalone 14
Butorphanol 12
Buprenorphine 11
Ketamine 10
Carprofen 10
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 8
Propofol 7
Atipamezole 6
Butorphanol Tartrate 5
Midazolam 5
Atropine 4
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 4
Diazepam 4
Xylazine Hydrochloride 4
Acepromazine 3
Isoflurane Gas 3
Midazolam Hydrochloride 3

Rough recovery Reaction Insights

85 reports name Rough recovery; 13 recorded a death outcome (15.3% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 2503.

By species: Dog (45 reports), Cat (20 reports), Horse (17 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (10), Horse (unknown) (8), Dog (unknown) (7).

Most co-reported drugs: Ketamine Hydrochloride (26 reports), Isoflurane (20 reports), Dexmedetomidine (16 reports), Alfaxalone (14 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.