Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for sedation

1,363 FDA adverse-event reports reference sedation (VeDDRA 111). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

1,363
reports citing this reaction
11.6%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Buprenorphine
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
1,363
Total Reports
158
Deaths
11.6%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 966
Cat 345
Horse 36
Rabbit 3
Ferret 3
Primate 2
Alpaca 2
Other Birds 2
Rat 2
Cattle 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 170
Dog (unknown) 88
Retriever - Labrador 76
Cat (unknown) 66
Crossbred Canine/dog 49
Terrier - Yorkshire 47
Chihuahua 47
Boxer (German Boxer) 36
Shih Tzu 34
Retriever - Golden 33

Associated Drugs

Buprenorphine 242
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 201
Maropitant Citrate 154
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 127
Isoflurane 95
Fentanyl 85
Gabapentin 83
Carprofen 72
Dexmedetomidine 67
Butorphanol 65
Oclacitinib Maleate 59
Ketamine 57
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 44
Butorphanol Tartrate 40
Propofol 38
Cefovecin 37
Acepromazine 34
Meloxicam 34
Spinosad 28
Maropitant 28

Sedation Reaction Insights

1,363 reports name Sedation; 158 recorded a death outcome (11.6% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 111.

By species: Dog (966 reports), Cat (345 reports), Horse (36 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (170), Dog (unknown) (88), Retriever - Labrador (76).

Most co-reported drugs: Buprenorphine (242 reports), Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride (201 reports), Maropitant Citrate (154 reports), Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (127 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.