Lameness after Doxycycline in dogs

The FDA has received 109 reports of lameness in dogs after Doxycycline. That is 2.7% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.6% across reports for all dog medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

109Reports

77%Marked serious

6.4%Recovered

29%Died or euthanised

22 daysTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

6 7.4%

1–2 days

6 7.4%

3–7 days

14 17%

1–4 weeks

20 25%

Over a month

35 43%

How the animals did

Recovered

6 5.5%

Recovered with lasting effects

1 0.9%

Still unwell when reported

48 44%

Died

8 7.3%

Euthanised

24 22%

Not known

22 20%

Problems reported at the same time

51 47%

49 45%

31 28%

27 25%

25 23%

25 23%

23 21%

23 21%

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 lameness in dogs?: 109 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 22 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).

Lameness with similar medicines

Lameness after Amoxicillin + Clavulanate (Clavamox) 132 reports · 2.5% of its reports
Lameness after Cefovecin (Convenia) 53 reports · 1.4% of its reports
Lameness after Enrofloxacin (Baytril) 125 reports · 3.3% of its reports
Lameness after Metronidazole 74 reports · 2.4% of its reports
Lameness after Amoxicillin 21 reports · 1.6% of its reports

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