Drooling after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) in dogs

The FDA has received 164 reports of drooling in dogs after Dexmedetomidine. That is 3.0% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 1.4% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

164Reports

53%Marked serious

29%Recovered

17%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

87 66%

1–2 days

16 12%

3–7 days

9 6.9%

1–4 weeks

7 5.3%

Over a month

12 9.2%

How the animals did

Recovered

47 29%

Still unwell when reported

52 32%

Died

16 9.8%

Euthanised

12 7.3%

Not known

37 23%

Problems reported at the same time

46 28%

41 25%

37 23%

29 18%

28 17%

27 16%

Didn't work as expected

27 16%

Tremors

24 15%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

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 drooling in dogs?: 164 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).

Drooling with similar medicines

Drooling after Buprenorphine 121 reports · 7.6% of its reports

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