Reaction profile

The FDA adverse-event record for tarry or black stool (see also haemorrhagic diarrhoea)

1,355 FDA adverse-event reports reference tarry or black stool (see also haemorrhagic diarrhoea) (VeDDRA 318). See the species, breeds, and drugs most associated with it below.

1,355
reports citing this reaction
24.8%
death-coded share
Dog
most-affected species
Carprofen
most-associated drug
Verify with FDA CVM →
1,355
Total Reports
336
Deaths
24.8%
Death Rate

Species Most Affected

Dog 1,287
Cat 45
Cattle 7
Pig 5
Horse 4
Human 2
Unknown 1
Chicken 1
Turkey 1
Sheep 1

Breeds Most Affected

Retriever - Labrador 167
Chihuahua 73
Crossbred Canine/dog 67
Terrier - Yorkshire 58
Shih Tzu 57
Retriever - Golden 50
Shepherd Dog - German 38
Dog (unknown) 33
Maltese 30
Boxer (German Boxer) 29

Associated Drugs

Carprofen 303
Maropitant Citrate 130
Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad 123
Grapiprant 97
Meloxicam 83
Afoxolaner 65
Gabapentin 64
Oclacitinib Maleate 62
Sucralfate 57
Deracoxib 54
Metronidazole 53
Moxidectin 52
Famotidine 50
Ivermectin + Pyrantel As Pamoate Salt 50
Fluralaner Chew Tablets 49
Bedinvetmab 47
Tramadol 46
Trilostane 42
Spinosad 35
Firocoxib 35

Tarry or black stool (see also haemorrhagic diarrhoea) Reaction Insights

1,355 reports name Tarry or black stool (see also haemorrhagic diarrhoea); 336 recorded a death outcome (24.8% of reported events, not a population-level mortality rate). VeDDRA code: 318.

By species: Dog (1,287 reports), Cat (45 reports), Cattle (7 reports). By breed: Retriever - Labrador (167), Chihuahua (73), Crossbred Canine/dog (67).

Most co-reported drugs: Carprofen (303 reports), Maropitant Citrate (130 reports), Milbemycin Oxime + Spinosad (123 reports), Grapiprant (97 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.