Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for sedation prolonged

644 FDA adverse-event reports reference sedation prolonged (VeDDRA 1903). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

644
reports citing this reaction
8.5%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
644
Total Reports
55
Deaths
8.5%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 372
Cat 189
Horse 71
Rabbit 3
Donkey 2
Other 1
Pig 1
Cattle 1
Other Mammals 1
Mule 1

Breeds Most Affected

Domestic Shorthair 73
Dog (unknown) 61
Retriever - Labrador 59
Cat (unknown) 39
Domestic (unspecified) 33
Crossbred Canine/dog 17
Retriever - Golden 17
Quarter Horse 15
Unknown 15
Horse (unknown) 14

Associated Drugs

Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride 217
Atipamezole Hydrochloride 121
Butorphanol 84
Butorphanol Tartrate 78
Buprenorphine 70
Isoflurane 63
Ketamine 56
Dexmedetomidine 56
Detomidine Hydrochloride 55
Ketamine Hydrochloride 35
Medetomidine Hydrochloride, Vatinoxan Hydrochloride 35
Fentanyl 33
Maropitant Citrate 31
Propofol 30
Gabapentin 26
Carprofen 25
Acepromazine Maleate 24
Atropine 20
Midazolam 20
Atipamezole 19

Sedation prolonged Reaction Insights

644 reports name Sedation prolonged; 55 recorded a death outcome (8.5% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 1903.

By species: Dog (372 reports), Cat (189 reports), Horse (71 reports). By breed: Domestic Shorthair (73), Dog (unknown) (61), Retriever - Labrador (59).

Most co-reported drugs: Dexmedetomidine Hydrochloride (217 reports), Atipamezole Hydrochloride (121 reports), Butorphanol (84 reports), Butorphanol Tartrate (78 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.