Hypercalcaemia after Doxycycline in dogs

The FDA has received 22 reports of hypercalcaemia in dogs after Doxycycline. That is 0.5% 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.

22Reports

82%Marked serious

9.1%Recovered

59%Died or euthanised

19 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

0 0.0%

1–2 days

2 12%

3–7 days

1 5.9%

1–4 weeks

6 35%

Over a month

8 47%

How the animals did

Recovered

2 9.1%

Still unwell when reported

4 18%

Died

5 23%

Euthanised

8 36%

Not known

3 14%

Problems reported at the same time

15 68%

14 64%

13 59%

12 55%

11 50%

9 41%

Didn't work as expected

8 36%

Weight loss

7 32%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Doxycycline treats bacterial and tick-borne infections.

Questions owners ask

Can Doxycycline cause hypercalcaemia in dogs?: 22 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 19 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).

Hypercalcaemia with similar medicines

Hypercalcaemia after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 30 reports · 0.6% of its reports
Hypercalcaemia after Cefovecin (Convenia) 20 reports · 0.5% of its reports

All reported side effects of Doxycycline in dogs · Medicines most reported with hypercalcaemia