Death after Metronidazole in cats

The FDA has received 67 reports of death in cats after Metronidazole. That is 17% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.9% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

67Reports

94%Marked serious

0.0%Recovered

100%Died or euthanised

4 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

10 17%

1–2 days

10 17%

3–7 days

15 26%

1–4 weeks

16 28%

Over a month

7 12%

How the animals did

Died

27 40%

Euthanised

40 60%

Problems reported at the same time

22 33%

18 27%

17 25%

12 18%

11 16%

Didn't work as expected

11 16%

Liver problems

11 16%

Breathing problems

11 16%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Metronidazole treats some bacterial and parasitic gut infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Metronidazole cause death in cats?: 67 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 4 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).

Death with similar medicines

Death after Cefovecin (Convenia) 1,898 reports · 22% of its reports
Death after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 372 reports · 16% of its reports
Death after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 272 reports · 17% of its reports
Death after Amoxicillin 112 reports · 22% of its reports
Death after Doxycycline 74 reports · 29% of its reports

All reported side effects of Metronidazole in cats · Medicines most reported with death