Death after Pentobarbital + Phenytoin in cats

41 reports to the FDA describe death in cats given Pentobarbital + Phenytoin. That is 20% 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.

41Reports
24%Marked serious
0.0%Recovered
100%Died or euthanised
Same dayTypical onset
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How soon it started

Same day
10 91%
1–2 days
0 0.0%
3–7 days
0 0.0%
1–4 weeks
0 0.0%
Over a month
1 9.1%

How the animals did

Died
25 61%
Euthanised
16 39%

Problems reported at the same time

Injection site reaction
3 7.3%
Accidental exposure
3 7.3%
Lethargy
2 4.9%
Vocalising
2 4.9%
Bradycardia
2 4.9%
Drug administration error
2 4.9%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year
3
1–3 years
1
4–7 years
3
8–11 years
7
12+ years
7

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Pentobarbital + Phenytoin cause death in cats?
41 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 the same 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).

Death with similar medicines

All reported side effects of Pentobarbital + Phenytoin in cats · Medicines most reported with death