Not drinking after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) in cats

The FDA has received 46 reports of not drinking in cats after Dexmedetomidine. That is 1.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.1% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

46Reports

54%Marked serious

37%Recovered

22%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

21 49%

1–2 days

15 35%

3–7 days

5 12%

1–4 weeks

0 0.0%

Over a month

2 4.7%

How the animals did

Recovered

16 35%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 2.2%

Still unwell when reported

14 30%

Died

8 17%

Euthanised

2 4.3%

Not known

5 11%

Problems reported at the same time

43 93%

18 39%

17 37%

15 33%

10 22%

9 20%

9 20%

7 15%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Dexmedetomidine sedation and pain relief (also an oral gel for noise anxiety).

Products with this ingredient include Dexdomitor, Sileo. The FDA hides brand names in its public data, so these reports cover every product with the same active ingredients.

Questions owners ask

Can Dexmedetomidine cause not drinking in cats?: 46 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within 1 day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Not drinking with similar medicines

Not drinking after Buprenorphine 304 reports · 5.4% of its reports

All reported side effects of Dexmedetomidine in cats · Medicines most reported with not drinking