Dehydration after Maropitant (Cerenia) in cats

The FDA has received 292 reports of dehydration in cats after Maropitant. That is 7.6% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 2.0% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

292Reports

78%Marked serious

14%Recovered

35%Died or euthanised

2 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

77 30%

1–2 days

59 23%

3–7 days

45 18%

1–4 weeks

37 14%

Over a month

38 15%

How the animals did

Recovered

41 14%

Still unwell when reported

96 33%

Died

27 9.2%

Euthanised

74 25%

Not known

54 18%

Problems reported at the same time

215 74%

171 59%

133 46%

101 35%

97 33%

94 32%

80 27%

61 21%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Maropitant prevents vomiting and motion sickness.

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

Questions owners ask

Can Maropitant cause dehydration in cats?: 292 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 2 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).

Dehydration with similar medicines

Dehydration after Mirtazapine (Mirataz) 99 reports · 5.3% of its reports
Dehydration after Capromorelin (Entyce) 35 reports · 4.3% of its reports

All reported side effects of Maropitant in cats · Medicines most reported with dehydration