Low blood pressure after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) in dogs

The FDA has received 30 reports of low blood pressure in dogs after Dexmedetomidine. That is 0.5% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.0% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

30Reports

87%Marked serious

40%Recovered

33%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

20 74%

1–2 days

1 3.7%

3–7 days

2 7.4%

1–4 weeks

0 0.0%

Over a month

4 15%

How the animals did

Recovered

12 40%

Still unwell when reported

5 17%

Died

8 27%

Euthanised

2 6.7%

Not known

3 10%

Problems reported at the same time

10 33%

7 23%

6 20%

5 17%

5 17%

5 17%

5 17%

4 13%

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 low blood pressure in dogs?: 30 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).

Low blood pressure with similar medicines

Low blood pressure after Buprenorphine 23 reports · 1.5% of its reports

All reported side effects of Dexmedetomidine in dogs · Medicines most reported with low blood pressure