Pain after Dexamethasone in dogs

The FDA has received 104 reports of pain in dogs after Dexamethasone. That is 3.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.7% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

104Reports

70%Marked serious

14%Recovered

24%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

38 45%

1–2 days

17 20%

3–7 days

6 7.1%

1–4 weeks

7 8.3%

Over a month

16 19%

How the animals did

Recovered

15 14%

Still unwell when reported

43 41%

Died

13 13%

Euthanised

12 12%

Not known

21 20%

Problems reported at the same time

51 49%

45 43%

33 32%

33 32%

32 31%

27 26%

25 24%

25 24%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Dexamethasone reduces inflammation and immune activity.

Steroids commonly cause increased thirst, urination and appetite, especially at higher doses.

Questions owners ask

Can Dexamethasone cause pain in dogs?: 104 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 1 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).

Pain with similar medicines

Pain after Prednisone 313 reports · 3.5% of its reports
Pain after Prednisolone + Trimeprazine 20 reports · 1.0% of its reports
Pain after Prednisolone 42 reports · 3.5% of its reports

All reported side effects of Dexamethasone in dogs · Medicines most reported with pain