Liver problems after Doxycycline in cats

The FDA has received 40 reports of liver problems in cats after Doxycycline. That is 15% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.8% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

40Reports

83%Marked serious

15%Recovered

43%Died or euthanised

5 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

5 14%

1–2 days

10 27%

3–7 days

4 11%

1–4 weeks

11 30%

Over a month

7 19%

How the animals did

Recovered

6 15%

Still unwell when reported

14 35%

Died

4 10%

Euthanised

13 33%

Not known

3 7.5%

Problems reported at the same time

23 57%

22 55%

17 43%

17 43%

12 30%

11 28%

10 25%

Didn't work as expected

8 20%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Doxycycline treats bacterial and tick-borne infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Doxycycline cause liver problems in cats?: 40 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 5 days 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).

Liver problems with similar medicines

Liver problems after Cefovecin (Convenia) 621 reports · 7.2% of its reports
Liver problems after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 152 reports · 6.4% of its reports
Liver problems after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 95 reports · 6.0% of its reports
Liver problems after Amoxicillin 31 reports · 6.0% of its reports
Liver problems after Metronidazole 27 reports · 6.9% of its reports

All reported side effects of Doxycycline in cats · Medicines most reported with liver problems