Increased respiratory rate after Doxycycline in dogs

The FDA has received 28 reports of increased respiratory rate in dogs after Doxycycline. That is 0.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.1% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

28Reports

68%Marked serious

14%Recovered

32%Died or euthanised

25 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

6 23%

1–2 days

1 3.8%

3–7 days

0 0.0%

1–4 weeks

8 31%

Over a month

11 42%

How the animals did

Recovered

2 7.1%

Recovered with lasting effects

2 7.1%

Still unwell when reported

12 43%

Died

3 11%

Euthanised

6 21%

Not known

3 11%

Problems reported at the same time

13 46%

12 43%

11 39%

9 32%

9 32%

8 29%

7 25%

7 25%

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 increased respiratory rate in dogs?: 28 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 25 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).

Increased respiratory rate with similar medicines

Increased respiratory rate after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 29 reports · 0.5% of its reports
Increased respiratory rate after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 32 reports · 0.8% of its reports
Increased respiratory rate after Metronidazole 33 reports · 1.1% of its reports

All reported side effects of Doxycycline in dogs · Medicines most reported with increased respiratory rate