Diarrhea after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) in dogs

The FDA has received 392 reports of diarrhea in dogs after Dexmedetomidine. That is 7.2% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 8.4% across reports for all dog medicines.

392Reports

56%Marked serious

30%Recovered

14%Died or euthanised

1 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

116 35%

1–2 days

111 33%

3–7 days

43 13%

1–4 weeks

30 9.0%

Over a month

35 10%

How the animals did

Recovered

116 30%

Still unwell when reported

125 32%

Died

32 8.2%

Euthanised

22 5.6%

Not known

97 25%

Problems reported at the same time

210 54%

156 40%

129 33%

71 18%

61 16%

52 13%

Didn't work as expected

52 13%

Injection site reaction

51 13%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

144

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Dexmedetomidine sedation and pain relief (also an oral gel for noise anxiety).

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

Questions owners ask

Can Dexmedetomidine cause diarrhea in dogs?: 392 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).

Diarrhea with similar medicines

Diarrhea after Buprenorphine 260 reports · 16% of its reports

All reported side effects of Dexmedetomidine in dogs · Medicines most reported with diarrhea