Skin scab after Cephalexin in dogs

The FDA has received 25 reports of skin scab in dogs after Cephalexin. That is 0.9% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.2% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

25Reports

60%Marked serious

4.0%Recovered

20%Died or euthanised

14 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

3 16%

1–2 days

2 11%

3–7 days

3 16%

1–4 weeks

4 21%

Over a month

7 37%

How the animals did

Recovered with lasting effects

1 4.0%

Still unwell when reported

14 56%

Died

1 4.0%

Euthanised

4 16%

Not known

5 20%

Problems reported at the same time

Loss of appetite

12 48%

Skin rash or irritation

10 40%

10 40%

10 40%

9 36%

8 32%

6 24%

Didn't work as expected

6 24%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Type: medicine.

Questions owners ask

Can Cephalexin cause skin scab in dogs?: 25 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 14 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).

Skin scab with similar medicines

Skin scab after Melarsomine (Immiticide) 34 reports · 0.1% of its reports
Skin scab after Diphenhydramine 48 reports · 1.0% of its reports
Skin scab after Cefpodoxime 55 reports · 1.4% of its reports
Skin scab after Florfenicol + Mometasone + Terbinafine 25 reports · 0.7% of its reports

All reported side effects of Cephalexin in dogs · Medicines most reported with skin scab